OpenAI's ChatGPT Shopping Ads Now Auto-Generate from Product Catalogs

OpenAI is streamlining shopping ads on ChatGPT by allowing e-commerce retailers to automatically generate ads from their product catalogs. Instead of building campaigns product by product, brands now connect their existing product feed, set eligibility filters, and let the platform handle the rest. The ads appear in the same sponsored placement below ChatGPT responses, but the behind-the-scenes automation makes running ads viable for retailers with thousands of SKUs. The setup is familiar to anyone using Google Shopping, as brands can largely repurpose the same structured file they already send to Google. OpenAI currently supports up to 1 million SKUs per advertiser and is asking new partners to submit a sample of 100 products before sharing their full catalog. This move comes after OpenAI killed its instant checkout feature, indicating a strategic pivot from transaction fees to advertising revenue. The company has already launched cost-per-click buying, with cost-per-action models in development, and hired Meta veteran David Dugan to lead the ads business. Third-party measurement features are also on the way, positioning ChatGPT as a serious contender in performance advertising.

Analysts note that automated catalog-based ads are “table stakes” in the AI era, and what distinguishes ChatGPT is conversational intent rather than search behavior or social engagement. Ad tech partners like Criteo and StackAdapt are already integrated, making it seamless for brands to extend their existing campaigns. The product feed capability accelerates OpenAI’s ambition to capture e-commerce ad budgets, competing directly with Google, Meta, and Amazon. For marketers, this means they can now reach shoppers within a conversational AI interface without manual campaign creation, potentially lowering costs and improving targeting. However, no public launch date has been announced yet, and the feature is currently being tested with select partners.