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OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT Ads to 31 European markets, marking the company’s largest geographic expansion of its advertising programme since advertising tests began in the United States in February. OpenAI says the addition of these markets brings the programme’s overall reach to about 40 markets.
The European expansion covers all 27 EU member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The rollout begins during the week of August 24, with reporting indicating August 24 as the start date for the European launch.
The ads will initially be shown to users on Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu users will continue to have an ad-free experience.
How ChatGPT Ads Will Work
The new ChatGPT Ads will appear below ChatGPT’s responses and will be clearly identified as sponsored content. OpenAI says advertisements will remain visually separate from the chatbot’s answers.
The company has also emphasized that advertisements will not determine or alter the responses generated by ChatGPT. This separation is intended to distinguish sponsored content from the AI’s organic answers.
The European launch also comes with specific controls around advertising personalization.
Contextual Advertising at Launch
For users in the European Economic Area and Switzerland, personalized advertising will not be available initially.
Instead, ad selection will be based on contextual information associated with the current experience. The information provided for the European rollout includes factors such as the ongoing conversation and approximate location, with other contextual signals potentially including language, device type and time of day. Previous conversations and saved memories are not used for personalized advertising at launch.
OpenAI has indicated that personalized advertising may be introduced separately. Users should therefore distinguish between the initial contextual advertising system and any future personalized advertising option.
Privacy and Advertiser Access
OpenAI says advertisers do not receive users’ conversations or personal identifying information through the advertising system.
Instead, advertisers receive aggregated campaign metrics, such as views and clicks. The ads platform is designed to provide businesses with advertising and measurement capabilities without giving advertisers direct access to users’ private ChatGPT conversations.
Temporary Chats and accounts identified as belonging to users under 18 are also excluded from advertising.
Restrictions on ChatGPT Ads
OpenAI has established restrictions on where advertisements can appear.
Ads are not eligible to appear alongside conversations involving sensitive subjects such as physical health, mental health and politics. Political advertising is also prohibited.
These restrictions are designed to limit advertising around particularly sensitive conversations while keeping sponsored content separate from ChatGPT’s responses.
Advertiser Access Is Expanding
The European rollout is also significant for businesses looking to advertise through ChatGPT.
Initially, advertisers in the new markets will access the programme through OpenAI’s advertising solutions team, agency partners and technology partners. OpenAI plans to expand access through its Ads Manager, allowing advertisers to manage campaigns more directly.
The company has been developing its advertising platform since the initial U.S. pilot, adding capabilities designed to help advertisers reach users during product discovery and decision-making moments.
European Regulatory Questions
The expansion comes while European regulators continue examining how AI-powered services fit within existing digital regulations.
The European Commission is considering whether ChatGPT Search could qualify as a very large online search engine under the Digital Services Act. Such a classification could bring additional obligations, including risk assessments, independent audits and advertising-related transparency requirements.
However, this remains a regulatory consideration rather than a confirmed classification, so it should not be presented as a decision that has already been made.
ChatGPT Ads: Key Details
| Feature | Details |
| Platform | ChatGPT |
| European expansion | 31 markets |
| Markets included | 27 EU countries + Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland |
| Rollout | Week of August 24, 2026 |
| Ad-supported plans | Free and Go |
| Ad-free plans | Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu |
| Placement | Below ChatGPT responses |
| Label | Sponsored |
| Personalized ads at launch | Not available in EEA and Switzerland |
| Political advertising | Prohibited |
| Temporary Chats | Ads excluded |
| Advertiser access | OpenAI team and partners initially |
FAQs
What are ChatGPT Ads?
ChatGPT Ads are sponsored advertisements displayed separately from ChatGPT’s generated responses. They allow businesses to promote products and services within the ChatGPT experience.
Which European markets are receiving ChatGPT Ads?
The expansion covers all 27 EU member states, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, for a total of 31 markets.
Which ChatGPT users will see advertisements?
Initially, advertisements are intended for Free and Go users. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu accounts remain ad-free.
Will ChatGPT Ads be personalized in Europe?
Not initially in the EEA and Switzerland. OpenAI’s European rollout begins with contextual advertising rather than personalized advertising based on previous chats and memories.
Can advertisers read users’ ChatGPT conversations?
No. OpenAI says advertisers receive aggregated advertising metrics and do not receive users’ conversation content.
Will advertisements influence ChatGPT’s answers?
OpenAI says ads are kept separate from ChatGPT’s responses and do not influence the model’s answers.
Conclusion
The European expansion of ChatGPT Ads represents OpenAI’s biggest geographic advertising rollout to date, adding 31 markets to a programme that began with testing in the United States earlier this year.
For European users, the initial rollout is particularly notable because advertising in the EEA and Switzerland will not be personalized at launch. Ads will be clearly marked and separated from ChatGPT’s answers, while users on paid plans such as Plus and Pro will remain outside the advertising programme.
OpenAI’s advertising expansion is also happening alongside ongoing European regulatory scrutiny of AI-powered search and digital services. As the company develops its advertising platform further, privacy controls, advertiser access and regulatory requirements will remain important parts of the rollout.