Hi and welcome back to another edition of The Keyword newsletter. ChatGPT Ads opened to US advertisers. Sign-up is live with a gradual roll out, CPC bidding has landed, and the measurement stack now includes a Conversions API and pixel. AI-native advertising is here.
— Kole
Also coming up:
✦ Google expands source control
✦ YouTube AI search test
✦ X rebuilds ads with AI
✦ Pinterest expands to CTV
Feature
OpenAI announced a major expansion of its ChatGPT advertising platform this week, adding conversion tracking (via both API and pixel), a self-serve Ads Manager, and cost-per-click (CPC) bidding.
How the ads work
When a user’s prompt qualifies for an ad, advertisers compete in an auction. The system ranks them by their bid combined with how relevant the advertiser is to the prompts. The winning advertiser pays just above the next-highest bid (second price auction).
Ads currently only show to free-tier and Go users, leaving ChatGPT’s Plus, Pro, and Enterprise customers out of reach.
Placements sit alongside ChatGPT's response rather than inside it, and OpenAI says ads do not influence the answers themselves.
US advertisers can register directly through the new self-serve Ads Manager now.
Conversion Tracking
The Conversion API (CAPI) and pixel let advertisers track post-click events like purchases, leads, and sign-ups. Although the conversion data cannot be used as optimization signals yet.
OpenAI has hired execs from Meta in recent months and is expected make a advertising a core business focus, creating a self-serve advertising platform in the mold of Meta and Google.
Businesses interested in learning more can sign up for an account here.
Sponsored by Granola
AI Meeting Notes (without the annoying meeting bots)
↳ Granola transcribes your computer's audio directly, without bots joining your call to take your notes.
About Granola:
London-based
Raised $125M at a $1.5bn valuation to expand from meeting notetaker to enterprise AI app
Contributes 1.5% of subscription to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere through Stripe Climate
More Headlines
🌍 Google expands ‘Preferred Sources’ control
The update widens access to a personalization tool that lets users choose which news outlets appear more often in Top Stories. It comes as AI-generated results grow in Search, offering users a separate way to control the sources they see while publishers look for ways to maintain visibility.
🤖 YouTube Tests 'Ask YouTube' AI Search Experience
The feature combines AI text summaries with videos, Shorts, and timestamped clips in search results. The experiment also lets users ask follow-up questions in a chat-like thread.
🎙️ X Rebuilds its Ad Platform Using xAI
The company is replacing its ad retrieval and ranking systems with AI-driven models designed for more contextual ad delivery. A redesigned Ads Manager is rolling out in phases, with more updates expected as X continues integrating xAI’s infrastructure into its ad business.
📸 Snapchat Launches AI Sponsored Snaps
Snap is adding brand-built AI agents into its Chat tab, where users can interact with them in real-time. The chatbots can respond to users with branded messages inside the chat interface.
📺 Pinterest Launches CTV Ad Placement Through tvScientific
Advertisers can now reach Pinterest audiences on third-party CTV apps using the platform’s first-party data. The move extends Pinterest’s ad reach beyond its own app, combining its intent signals with tvScientific’s CTV optimization following its $300M+ acquisition.
Recommendations
✦ Granola: The best AI Meeting Notetaker
Double the length of your free trial with our link
✦ Wynter: A side-hustle for B2B marketers
Get paid up to $50 for completing 2-10 min feedback surveys
Note: We may receive sponsorship payment or affiliate commission for links above
You’re caught up
🎊
