We tested the ads on OpenAI: here’s what we think

Ads on OpenAI have been the talk of the town since the announcement of the first advertising tests , currently available in beta. While ChatGPT is already transforming the way internet users search for information, discover businesses, and make purchasing decisions, the arrival of advertising in this ecosystem raises many questions for marketers.

Are we witnessing the emergence of a new advertising platform capable of competing with Google Ads or Meta Ads? Should businesses already be paying attention to it? And most importantly, is it delivering results?

At Planning Média, we like to test new opportunities before they become the norm. So when we got our hands on this new feature, we decided to run our first tests to better understand how it works and what its potential is.

After a week of testing, here is what we have observed so far.

Why are ads on OpenAI getting so much attention?

For more than twenty years, Google has dominated online search. When someone wants to find information, compare products, or learn about a company, their first instinct is usually to use a search engine.

However, this situation is beginning to change.

More and more users are turning to ChatGPT and other AI tools to get quick, personalized, and conversational answers. Instead of conducting multiple searches and browsing different websites, they can now ask their question directly and receive a comprehensive answer in just a few seconds.

For businesses, this represents a major shift in the consumer journey. As internet users spend more time using artificial intelligence tools, it makes sense that advertisers would also want to establish a presence in this environment.

This is precisely why there is growing interest in this new form of advertising.

A New Reality for Digital Marketing

The introduction of advertising on artificial intelligence platforms could change some well-established practices in the digital marketing industry.

Until now, the majority of online advertising spending has been concentrated primarily on three major players: Google, Meta, and, in some cases, LinkedIn or TikTok. Companies knew exactly where to reach their audience.

Today, a new potential channel is being added to the discussion.

Although it is still too early to predict the actual impact of this technology, many experts agree that artificial intelligence will play an increasingly important role in the discovery of products, services, and companies.

For agencies like ours, this means staying on top of the latest developments, testing new features, and quickly figuring out how these new tools could be integrated into tomorrow’s marketing strategies.

Our experience after a week of testing

When we began our testing, our goal wasn't necessarily to produce spectacular results right from the start.

Above all, we wanted to understand how the platform works, explore the possibilities it offers, and review the initial data available.

And our conclusion is simple: it is still far too early to draw any conclusions.

After just one week of use, the available information remains limited. The analytics tools are not as advanced as those we are used to seeing on Google Ads or Meta Ads. Some data is still difficult to interpret, and several aspects of how the platform works remain unclear.

To be honest, it currently looks more like a black box than a mature advertising platform.

In summary…

The introduction of ads on OpenAI marks a significant milestone in the evolution of digital marketing.

Based on our initial tests, we believe this is a promising technology, but it will take some time before we can fully assess its potential. Like many innovations before it, this platform will need to mature further before it becomes an essential part of advertising strategies.

At Planning Média, we continue to test new technologies to help our clients stay ahead of market trends. Whether it’s for your Google Ads, Meta Ads, your SEO SEO or new opportunities related to artificial intelligence, our team is here to support you.

Would you like to discuss your digital marketing strategy or find out how to improve your online visibility?