OpenAI Crosses $1B Annualised Ad Revenue, Targets India With Self-Service Ads
· Technology · Times of India, Reuters
OpenAI said its ChatGPT advertising business has reached a $1 billion annualised revenue rate within 200 days of launch, and the company is framing the milestone as proof of a 'diversified business model' ahead of a planned IPO at an $852 billion valuation. ChatGPT Ads, which began testing in the US in February, are now live in over 40 countries, and OpenAI has begun expanding self-service access for advertisers in India, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. In India, WPP and Omnicom have been signed as the first agency partners, with more than 50 brands set to go live this week; ads will appear only on the Free and Go tiers, leaving Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education subscriptions ad-free. OpenAI stated that ads are clearly labelled, do not influence ChatGPT's responses, and that advertisers do not get access to users' private conversations. The free tier, which accounts for the bulk of ChatGPT's 1 billion weekly active users, gives the ad business a large built-in a
Why it matters
Indian brands and WPP- and Omnicom-managed advertisers gain a first-mover shot at placing campaigns inside ChatGPT, one of the largest AI surfaces used in India, while the IPO narrative and $852 billion valuation push make ad revenue a critical lever OpenAI must scale quickly. Ad-funded free-tier access also means hundreds of millions of ChatGPT users, including in India, will increasingly see sponsored content alongside AI answers.
Read the original report — Times of India
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