Who can run a Sponsored Agent right now?

Sponsored Agents are a test, not a general launch. OpenAI has limited the pilot to a select group of advertisers in the United States, so most businesses cannot buy one yet. The natural-language campaign tools in ChatGPT Ads Manager and the HubSpot and Shopify integrations are the parts that opened more widely on September 16, 2026.

Do Sponsored Agents mix into ChatGPT's normal answers?

No. OpenAI says a conversation with a Sponsored Agent is clearly labeled, stays distinct from ChatGPT's own independent answers, and is kept separate from the user's original ChatGPT conversation. A person chooses to enter the sponsored chat rather than being dropped into it, and can click through to the business's website when ready.

How do Shopify merchants get ChatGPT Ads?

Shopify merchants install a ChatGPT Ads app from the Shopify App Store. US-based merchants got access on September 16, 2026, with other markets following on September 23. Products connect automatically through Shopify Catalog, so a merchant does not have to re-enter a product feed to start a ChatGPT ad campaign.

Can a ChatGPT ad change its wording for each reader?

Yes. OpenAI added AI text customization to ChatGPT Ads, which adapts headlines to the context of the conversation and translates ad copy into the reader's preferred language. Ads Manager can also suggest copy and images pulled from the advertiser's own landing page, so a campaign does not start from a blank page.

OpenAI · 2026-09-16 · major

OpenAI Sponsored Agents — ChatGPT ads you can talk back to

OpenAI is testing Sponsored Agents in ChatGPT: a clearly labeled chat with a business's own agent, kept apart from ChatGPT's own answers. The test covers select US advertisers, and ChatGPT Ads apps arrive in HubSpot and Shopify.

Report graphic for OpenAI's Sponsored Agents test inside ChatGPT Ads — Search Engine Roundtable

ChatGPT ads become two-way: OpenAI is testing agents that answer questions on a business's behalf.

Quick facts

Maker	OpenAI
What's new	Sponsored Agents test in ChatGPT Ads
Availability	Select US advertisers
HubSpot	ChatGPT Ads inside HubSpot from Sept 16, 2026
Shopify	US merchants Sept 16; other markets Sept 23, 2026
Labeling	Labeled chat, separate from ChatGPT's answers

What is it?

Sponsored Agents let a ChatGPT reader open a labeled chat with an agent that speaks for a business. OpenAI is testing them inside ChatGPT Ads with a select group of US advertisers. The sponsored chat is kept separate from ChatGPT's own answers and from the reader's original conversation.

How does it work?

When a relevant ad appears, the reader can choose to enter the sponsored conversation, say what matters to them, ask follow-up questions, and click through to the business's site. Alongside it, ChatGPT Ads Manager gained natural-language controls: an advertiser describes a campaign in plain words and the system suggests copy and images drawn from the landing page, then adapts headlines to the conversation and translates them.

Why does it matter?

An ad that answers questions is a different product from an ad you read, and this test moves ChatGPT toward the second kind. For merchants, the new HubSpot and Shopify apps matter more in the short term: campaigns, performance and follow-up on leads can be handled where their customer and product data already sits, with no separate ads console to learn.

Who is it for?

advertisers and e-commerce merchants

Frequently asked questions

Who can run a Sponsored Agent right now?: Sponsored Agents are a test, not a general launch. OpenAI has limited the pilot to a select group of advertisers in the United States, so most businesses cannot buy one yet. The natural-language campaign tools in ChatGPT Ads Manager and the HubSpot and Shopify integrations are the parts that opened more widely on September 16, 2026.
Do Sponsored Agents mix into ChatGPT's normal answers?: No. OpenAI says a conversation with a Sponsored Agent is clearly labeled, stays distinct from ChatGPT's own independent answers, and is kept separate from the user's original ChatGPT conversation. A person chooses to enter the sponsored chat rather than being dropped into it, and can click through to the business's website when ready.
How do Shopify merchants get ChatGPT Ads?: Shopify merchants install a ChatGPT Ads app from the Shopify App Store. US-based merchants got access on September 16, 2026, with other markets following on September 23. Products connect automatically through Shopify Catalog, so a merchant does not have to re-enter a product feed to start a ChatGPT ad campaign.
Can a ChatGPT ad change its wording for each reader?: Yes. OpenAI added AI text customization to ChatGPT Ads, which adapts headlines to the context of the conversation and translates ad copy into the reader's preferred language. Ads Manager can also suggest copy and images pulled from the advertiser's own landing page, so a campaign does not start from a blank page.

Try it

Install the ChatGPT Ads app from the Shopify App Store (US merchants) or connect a ChatGPT Ads account inside HubSpot