OpenAI has started testing a new advertising feature called Sponsored Agents inside ChatGPT, giving businesses a new way to speak directly with users through AI-powered conversations.
The feature allows a person who sees an advertisement in ChatGPT to open a separate conversation with an AI agent sponsored by that business. Instead of only clicking an ad and visiting a website, users can first ask the sponsored agent questions about a product or service.
For example, someone interested in a product could ask about its features, size, compatibility, pricing options, or other details before deciding what to do next. The sponsored agent can answer follow-up questions and can also direct the user to the company’s website when the user is ready.
OpenAI says these sponsored conversations will be clearly labeled so users can understand that they are interacting with an agent connected to an advertiser. The Sponsored Agent conversation will also remain separate from ChatGPT’s regular answers and from the user’s original ChatGPT conversation.
The company is currently testing Sponsored Agents with selected advertisers in the United States. This means the feature is still in an early testing stage and is not yet available to every business or ChatGPT user.
The new system shows how online advertising could become more conversational. Traditional digital ads usually provide a short message, image, or link. Sponsored Agents could allow potential customers to have a longer discussion with a business before visiting its website or making a purchase.
Alongside Sponsored Agents, OpenAI is also adding more AI tools for advertisers. Businesses can use natural-language prompts to help create, update, and analyze advertising campaigns. AI tools can also suggest advertising copy and images based on a campaign’s goals.
OpenAI is also connecting its ChatGPT advertising tools with business platforms including HubSpot and Shopify. These integrations are designed to make it easier for companies to create campaigns, track their performance, and manage advertising without completely changing their existing workflows.
The move is another sign that OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT beyond a traditional AI chatbot. As more people use AI to research products, compare choices, and make buying decisions, conversational advertising could become an increasingly important part of the platform.
However, keeping sponsored conversations clearly separated from normal AI answers will be important as the advertising system grows. Users will need to easily understand when they are receiving an independent ChatGPT response and when they are speaking with an AI agent representing a business.
For now, Sponsored Agents remain a limited test, but the experiment could offer an early look at how advertising may work inside AI-powered platforms in the future.
