What happened
StackAdapt, an independent demand-side platform, is pitching advertisers on a "Limited Pilot Program" to place ads within ChatGPT, per a deck reviewed by ADWEEK. The program, running through May, features a "proto-auction model" with CPMs from $15 to $60 and a $50,000 minimum spend. Ad formats include a square image, 30-character headline, and 60-character description, with targeting based on prompt relevance. OpenAI clarified the minimum bid is $60, not $15, for this inventory.
Why it matters
Access to ChatGPT's "discovery layer" for advertising carries high cost and targeting limitations. Procurement teams face CPMs up to $60 and a $50,000 minimum spend, significantly above typical programmatic benchmarks. This challenges OpenAI's stated ambition for $2.5 billion in ad revenue this year, with projections reaching $100 billion by 2030, as high costs may restrict advertiser participation. Marketing strategists must weigh the value of prompt-based relevance against the absence of audience or demographic targeting.
