OpenAI's advertising layer inside ChatGPT has folded into a new answer-first model, and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is now the price of admission. Sponsored placements no longer sit beside a webpage link: they surface as conversational answers, and brands like Wayfair are already using them to let consumers chat directly with the business inside the ad. For Indian marketers who spent a decade chasing blue links, the ranking surface has moved.
⚡ Fast Takeaways:
- Core Update: ChatGPT ads now blend into AI-generated answers, so paid visibility depends on how well your content feeds the model, not just your bid.
- Key Metrics / Specs: OpenAI began testing ads in ChatGPT in February 2026 and published its advertising approach in January 2026. Conversational ad formats arrived by September 2026.
- Access & Availability: Ad formats are rolling out to advertisers in waves. Indian SMBs can act now by restructuring content for GEO and query-intent targeting.