Advertisements appearing in AI chat windows are shifting the focus of the platform.

On the 16th, OpenAI announced the introduction of advertising into ChatGPT, a low-cost plan for ChatGPT Go , and on the same day, officially announced the introduction of advertising into ChatGPT. This isn't simply an expansion of the revenue model; it signals a shift in the center of gravity of the digital advertising market. Previously, search engines and social media were the primary advertising platforms. Now, AI conversational interfaces are taking their place.

The core message of this announcement is clear: ads will be separated from responses, paid plans will be ad-free, and personal information will not be shared with advertisers. On the surface, this is a "careful and ethical approach to advertising." However, from an industry perspective, a much more profound shift lies behind it: the shift in where people spend their time and where decisions are made.

News Summary: Key Points from ChatGPT Ads

• Ad Testing Introduced to ChatGPT Free and Low-Cost Go Plans
• Advertisements are clearly marked at the bottom of the answer.
• Conversation content and personal information are not provided to advertisers.
• No advertising on sensitive topics such as health and politics.
• Keep the paid plan without ads
• A Diversified Revenue Structure Strategy to Expand AI Accessibility

This policy is close to a declaration that it will simultaneously pursue both the “public nature of AI” and a “sustainable profit model.”

The limitations of social media advertising are revealed.

Existing social media advertising had structural limitations.

• Users perceive advertisements as 'distractions' in the middle of content consumption.
• Contextual disconnect between advertising and purchase intent
• Post-click actions depend on external links and landing pages.
• Brand messages are quickly consumed in algorithmic feeds.

So social media ads became increasingly irritating and less effective. Users scrolled, and ads just passed by.

AI advertising isn't about "exposure," it's about "an extension of the conversation."

ChatGPT ads are fundamentally different. Instead of being intrusive banners in the feed, they're options that appear within the context of the user's query.

• Users are already in information seeking and decision-making mode.
• The ad appears as "Should I consider it?" rather than "See it"
• Questions, comparisons, and verification are possible immediately after the advertisement.
• The purchase funnel is compressed into a conversation.

This directly addresses a problem that social media advertising has struggled to address for years: the flow of advertising → exploration → persuasion → decision is completed within a single interface.

The advertising market moves along the "attention span"

Advertising budgets have always moved to the spaces where people spend the most time and think most seriously.

• Portal → Social Media
• Social media → video platform
• Search engines, social media, and video platforms → AI conversational services

People no longer list search terms. Instead, they ask questions, ask for comparisons, and provide context. This is the moment advertisers crave most.

AI advertising targets this very point: ads that appear "at the very moment you're thinking about it."

Change Points Companies Should Consider

This change is not simply a matter of “one more advertising channel.”

• A Re-examination of Social Media-Centric Advertising Strategies is Needed
• Beyond keyword-centric SEO, the importance of authenticated economic optimization (AEO) is growing.
• Brand messages are more about explainable information structures than short copy.
• The increasing value of content assets that AI can understand and cite.

Advertising is no longer something that can be 'seen', but something that can be 'explained'.

Implications: Advertising is shifting from "feeds" to "conversations."

ChatGPT's introduction of advertising is a quiet but clear statement: the center stage of advertising is shifting from social media to AI.

Going forward, competitive brands will need to be able to answer the following questions:

• Can AI explain our products?
• Can it be recommended naturally within the context of the user's question?
• Are you ready for a post-ad conversation?

Advertising through AI will become a new type of advertising that combines "advertising, search, consulting, and persuasion," and this change is only just beginning.