Amazon Tests ChatGPT Advertising for Marketers

Amazon is testing a new ad service that places brand messages inside ChatGPT conversations, giving marketers a way to reach users through the popular AI chatbot.

The collaboration taps into OpenAI’s flagship conversational model, whose logo is commonly seen on mobile screens, and marks a strategic move for both companies to embed advertising directly within AI‑driven dialogues.

Amazon teams up with OpenAI for ad placement

The partnership was disclosed to a marketing outlet and involves a small group of U.S. brands. Delta Vacations, the travel arm of an airline, is among the first advertisers to try the integration.

Amazon’s position as the third‑largest digital advertising platform gives it a substantial foothold in a channel that is rapidly becoming a focal point for brand‑consumer interaction.

According to an Amazon spokesperson, the ad inventory will be sold through the company’s demand‑side platform (DSP). The pilot is limited to the United States at launch.

ChatGPT Ads inventory will be accessed via the same Amazon DSP that powers other programmatic campaigns, and the ads are displayed on both the free version of ChatGPT and its lower‑priced “Go” subscription tier.

How the managed service operates

Advertisers will work with Amazon’s team, which will set up and fine‑tune campaigns. Ads can be bought on a cost‑per‑click (CPC) or cost‑per‑thousand‑impressions (CPM) basis. Product‑feed ads will automatically generate creative assets from merchants’ catalogs.

The product‑feed capability draws directly from merchants’ existing catalog data, turning SKU information into ready‑to‑run image or text units without manual creative production.

OpenAI retains control over which ads appear, using its own delivery system. Sponsored messages will show as text or image units below organic ChatGPT replies, marked clearly as ads.

OpenAI’s delivery engine applies its own relevance algorithms, ensuring that the sponsored units are positioned in a way that aligns with the conversational flow while still obeying the platform’s labeling standards.

Amazon reported nearly $70 billion in advertising revenue last year, while ChatGPT Ads recently announced a $1 billion annualized run rate. Tens of thousands of advertisers are said to be using the service, which has already expanded to several regions outside the U.S.

To bolster measurement confidence, OpenAI has partnered with third‑party data firms such as LiveRamp, allowing advertisers to access more granular attribution and cross‑device insights.

Implications for marketers

Brands hope to leverage Amazon’s extensive shopping and streaming data alongside ChatGPT’s contextual reach. The service could appeal to advertisers that do not normally sell on Amazon’s marketplace.

These data assets enable marketers to target users based on purchase history, media consumption patterns, and other behavioral signals, creating a richer context for conversational ad placements.

“Travel planning is becoming increasingly personalized, and travelers expect experiences that feel relevant,” said Katrin Koenig, president of Delta Vacations. “Through our collaboration with Amazon Ads and ChatGPT Ads, we can leverage deep consumer insights to inform how and when Delta Vacations appear within ChatGPT Ads experiences to create new opportunities for travelers to engage and discover vacation possibilities.”

The quote shows how non‑endemic advertisers—those whose primary business is not e‑commerce—can use the format to reach audiences at moments when intent is forming, rather than only at the point of purchase.

Compared with earlier retail‑media experiments, this pilot offers a more hands‑on approach from a major DSP, which may speed up adoption for brands that have been cautious about AI‑driven placements.

Earlier collaborations with retail media networks at Target and Albertsons demonstrated the concept, but Amazon’s scale provides a considerably broader inventory and audience reach.

Challenges and next steps

OpenAI began testing ads in February and is preparing for an IPO, where ad revenue could play a larger role. Some competitors have criticized the move, and early reports suggest performance has been mixed for certain advertisers.

The upcoming IPO positions ad sales as a potentially key line item in OpenAI’s financial narrative, prompting heightened scrutiny from investors and industry observers.

Before the trial ends, participants will receive aggregated data on impressions, clicks, CPC and CPM metrics. The results will help determine whether the model scales beyond the pilot’s current U.S. focus.

Industry commentary notes that OpenAI had previously explored a partnership with The Trade Desk, highlighting that the choice of Amazon as a DSP reflects a strategic alignment with a partner that already commands a massive advertising ecosystem.