OpenAI has just opened up its Ads Manager beta here in the UK — the platform that lets advertisers run ads inside ChatGPT itself. It's been live in the US for a few weeks, and as of this month it's available to us too. I got my access this week and I've been digging into it properly, because I think this is the start of something that matters for any business selling online.
Here's what it actually is, why being early is worth more than it sounds, and how I'd think about it whether you already work with me or you're just weighing up your options.
What's Actually Launched
For the first time, you can create and manage your own ad campaigns that appear inside ChatGPT — through a proper self-serve dashboard at ads.openai.com. From there you can build campaigns, track how they're performing, download reporting, and manage who has access. It's the same shape as a Google Ads or Microsoft Ads account: a central place to run the whole thing.
The ads themselves show up for people on ChatGPT's free and lower tiers as they're chatting — asking questions, researching, comparing options, working towards a decision. That last part is the interesting bit. These aren't people idly scrolling a feed. They're mid-thought, often mid-purchase-decision, and an ad that genuinely answers what they're asking can land at exactly the right moment.
It's a beta, so it's rough around the edges and the rules will keep changing. But it's real, it's here, and it's open for business.
Why Early Matters More Than You'd Think
Here's something I've learned watching ad platforms launch over the years: they are almost always at their most rewarding right at the start.
When a platform is new, hardly anyone is bidding. The auction isn't crowded. Costs are low because there's little competition, and the platform itself is keen to prove it works, so it tends to be generous with reach. Then word gets out, everyone piles in, and the easy wins disappear.
We saw it with Google Shopping. We saw it with Performance Max. We saw it with TikTok. The businesses that got in while it was quiet got a genuine head start — cheaper clicks, more visibility, and a body of learning their competitors simply didn't have yet.
ChatGPT ads are at that "quiet" stage right now. That window never stays open long. By the time a channel is obviously working for everyone, the cheap, easy phase is already over — and you're paying premium prices to learn lessons the early movers banked months ago.
This Isn't About Throwing Money At It
I want to be straight, because the word "ads" makes people picture budgets disappearing into something unproven.
That's not how I'd approach this, and it's not what I'm suggesting you do. Being early doesn't mean spending big on day one. It means being set up and ready — so that the moment there's a real, measurable opportunity, you can move on it the same day rather than starting from scratch while competitors are already running.
The way I work it with the businesses I look after: get the account and the groundwork in place quietly, in the background, with no spend committed. I test carefully, with small amounts, and I learn what works before I ever recommend putting real budget behind it. Nobody's money goes anywhere until there's a clear reason for it and they've agreed to it. Early preparation, cautious spending — that's the combination that tends to win with a new channel.
What This Really Signals
Step back from the mechanics for a second, because there's a bigger shift underneath all this.
More and more people are starting their buying journey inside an AI tool rather than a search box. They're asking ChatGPT what to buy, which option is best, what fits their situation — and increasingly, that's where the decision actually gets made. Ads inside ChatGPT are simply the first paid way for a business to be present in that conversation.
This is the same direction of travel I keep flagging: search is fragmenting, AI tools are becoming where people discover and decide, and the businesses that adapt early will have an edge over the ones still treating Google as the only game in town. ChatGPT advertising is one more sign of where things are heading — and a fairly loud one.
How To Get Ahead Of It
If you already work with me: good news — I'm getting set up for this on your behalf. To get the groundwork ready, the one thing I need from you is to create an account at ads.openai.com (one per website if you run more than one) and add me as a team member so I can prepare everything. You'll be asked to add a payment card during setup — that's just part of creating the account; nothing runs and nothing is charged without me agreeing it with you first. I've emailed the details to my clients, so check your inbox, and shout if you've not seen it.
If you're not a client yet: this is exactly the kind of thing I help businesses with — spotting a new channel early, testing it sensibly, and scaling it only once it's proven to make money. If you'd like someone who's already across ChatGPT advertising to look at whether it's worth it for your business — and to handle the setup, testing and running of it properly — get in touch. Early, careful, and well-managed beats late and expensive every time.
Either way, this one's worth being ready for. The businesses paying attention now are the ones who'll be glad they did.