OpenAI, an artificial intelligence company, has begun experimenting with a new ad format for its ChatGPT chatbot. The innovation allows brands to not only display an ad, but also directly engage the user in a conversation with an AI agent when they click a „Chat with us“ button or similar call-to-action. It’s a step away from a traditional website link and toward what Digiday describes as „AI-native advertising,“ which is advertising tailored to how people interact with AI assistants.
The new format has been rolled out to several major customers, including Wayfair, which has confirmed its participation in the Sponsored Agent pilot. Wayfair spokesperson Morgan Brown explained that the trial is helping to evaluate how conversational commerce can help consumers make informed decisions while maintaining transparency and control over product accuracy. OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar, speaking at a Goldman Sachs conference, mentioned that the current ads following ChatGPT responses are just a „basic starting point,“ and early indications suggest that AI-native advertising could have broader potential.
AI-native advertising: how the new format works
The new format allows advertisers to connect a brand’s AI agent directly to an ad. When a user clicks on the chat invitation, it doesn’t open in a browser tab, but instead takes them to the brand’s chat space inside ChatGPT. There, the user can interact directly with the AI, get answers to questions, get recommendations, or even complete a purchase. This is similar to Meta ads that direct users to WhatsApp, but here the action takes place entirely on the platform, without external redirects.
The first participants and their attitude
Wayfair is one of the first to confirm its participation in the pilot. A company spokesperson emphasized that the experiment is being conducted on a limited scale, with clearly defined guidelines for product accuracy, transparency and service delivery. Other participants, such as Digitas, Claire's, Marriott and Havas, have been invited to a meeting in New York, scheduled for September 24, 2026, where they will be able to discuss the opportunities and challenges of this format.
Advertising effectiveness and challenges
While the new format offers a way to keep users on the platform, some experts question whether it’s a good fit for retailers who traditionally seek to collect data through their websites. Zeno Group’s Shamsul Chowdhury noted that retailers want to capture user data, but the user journey can take place anywhere, so it’s important to compete for attention and spend. At this point, investments in ChatGPT ads remain experimental, as ROI (return on investment) has yet to be proven, Chowdhury said.
Future prospects and seasonal factors
The launch of the new format coincides with the upcoming holiday shopping season, when many companies are looking for alternative channels to offset rising costs and stagnant performance on traditional platforms like Google and Meta. If the AI-native experience is seamless, OpenAI could become an important additional channel, especially as advertisers look for new ways to reach consumers.
Conclusion
OpenAI’s new ChatGPT ad format is the first step towards AI-native advertising, aiming to move the consumer from a simple ad to a direct dialogue with a brand agent. While the project is currently in an early-stage pilot, early adopters like Wayfair are already providing feedback on the potential benefits and challenges. Advertising professionals will be watching to see if the format can deliver sufficient ROI and if consumers will embrace conversational commercial experiences. In the future, we can expect AI-native advertising to become a more integral part of digital marketing, especially as platforms like ChatGPT continue to expand and gain new features.
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