OpenAI Shifts ChatGPT Ad Model to CPC, Targeting $2.4-2.5B Ad Revenue in 2026

Gate News message, April 16 — OpenAI is transitioning ChatGPT's advertising model from cost-per-impression (CPM) to cost-per-click (CPC), set to be applied to advertisers within days, according to Disinformation. The shift comes as the company faces mounting pressure from a projected $14 billion loss this year, driven by surging computing costs despite ChatGPT's weekly active users approaching 900 million.

The move reflects structural challenges with OpenAI's subscription model. While 900 million users engage with ChatGPT weekly, only 5% pay for premium tiers, leaving most users generating costs without revenue. CEO Sam Altman previously noted that even $200-per-month subscribers can incur losses due to high inference costs. OpenAI has set 2026 ad revenue targets of $2.4-2.5 billion, with plans to scale to $11 billion by 2027.

OpenAI is also testing action-based ad formats and requiring advertisers to commit $30,000-50,000 monthly spend. The platform separates ads from ChatGPT responses to preserve user trust. Paid tiers (Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise) remain ad-free, while Free and ChatGPT Go users see advertisements. Industry analysts view the CPC adoption as a direct challenge to Google and Meta's search and performance ad markets, as AI-generated answers with contextual commercial links may offer higher conversion efficiency than traditional keyword advertising.