OpenAI Tests Sponsored Agents Letting Users Chat With Brands Directly From ChatGPT Ads

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OpenAI is piloting a new advertising format called Sponsored Agents, which allows users to open a dedicated, brand-controlled conversation within ChatGPT after clicking an ad. The feature is currently restricted to a limited group of selected advertisers in an alpha phase, with no open route for early-access requests. Sponsored Agents are clearly labeled and kept separate from ChatGPT's own responses, ensuring users can distinguish between the assistant's answers and advertiser-led interactions. OpenAI has confirmed that advertisers will not have access to users' chat histories or memory data. The broader ChatGPT advertising program has already expanded to several countries including the UK, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea, though the Sponsored Agents alpha remains far more restricted than general ad availability.

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