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ChatGPT Ads expands across seven Asian markets as OpenAI reports $1bn run rate

OpenAI says ChatGPT Ads is beginning to roll out in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan, taking advertiser availability beyond 60 countries. Its live Ads Manager list now marks all seven markets available for self-service, while the company reports a $1bn annualised revenue run rate and tens of thousands of advertisers.

Published 24 Sept 2026, 16:31

Editorial illustration of advertising cards branching from a chat interface towards markets across Southeast Asia and Taiwan
Vakker Wire illustration

Seven new Asian markets

OpenAI says ChatGPT Ads is beginning to roll out in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan. The company says the expansion takes ChatGPT Ads beyond 60 countries, following earlier launches in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and India.

The current Ads Manager availability page now lists all seven newly announced markets as available for self-service. Advertisers can also use OpenAI's sales team, agencies and technology partners. Market access for advertisers is separate from proof that every eligible ChatGPT user in those countries is already seeing ads: OpenAI describes the user rollout as beginning now and its broader ad programme as phased.

The ad platform is widening faster than Sponsored Agents

The geographic expansion comes one week after OpenAI introduced Sponsored Agents, an optional format that lets a user open a clearly labelled conversation with an advertiser-sponsored agent after selecting an ad. That format remains a test with selected advertisers in the United States; OpenAI has not announced a corresponding international rollout for Sponsored Agents.

The wider advertising stack already includes self-service Ads Manager, campaign work through ChatGPT, Shopify and HubSpot integrations, and impression, click and conversion-oriented buying. OpenAI says ads may appear on Free and Go accounts, while Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu remain ad-free under its current Help Center policy.

OpenAI reports a $1bn annualised run rate

OpenAI says ChatGPT Ads reached a $1 billion annualised revenue run rate in less than 200 days after launch and that tens of thousands of advertisers are now running campaigns. The company first published those figures on 31 August and repeated them in the new Asian expansion announcement.

Those figures are company-reported operating metrics. OpenAI has not published audited advertising revenue for the period, an exact advertiser count, revenue by geography, or a breakdown showing how much of the business comes from Sponsored Agents versus other ad formats. An annualised run rate describes the pace implied by a recent period rather than revenue already earned over a full year.

Availability still has two layers

For businesses, the live Ads Manager list provides a concrete country-by-country view of where self-service buying is available. For ChatGPT users, exposure depends on plan, age eligibility, region and the staged rollout. OpenAI says ads are kept separate from model answers and that advertisers do not receive users' private conversations.

OpenAI has not disclosed how many eligible users in the seven new markets are receiving ads, how advertiser demand is distributed across them, or when Sponsored Agents will move beyond the current US test. The expansion is measurable at the access layer, while usage and revenue distribution by market remain undisclosed.

Source trail

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OpenAI - Reimagining advertising with AI
Primary · 16 Sept 2026, 15:00
https://openai.com/index/reimagining-advertising-with-ai/
More Wire stories citing openai.com
02
OpenAI Help Center - Ads in ChatGPT: The Basics
Primary · 14 Sept 2026, 02:00
https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001207
More Wire stories citing help.openai.com
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OpenAI - Our approach to advertising and expanding access
Primary · 16 Jan 2026, 01:00
https://openai.com/index/our-approach-to-advertising-and-expanding-access/
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Shopify App Store - ChatGPT Ads
Primary · 3 Sept 2026, 02:00
https://apps.shopify.com/chatgptads
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OpenAI - ChatGPT Ads expands to Southeast Asia and Taiwan
Primary · 23 Sept 2026, 02:00
https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-ads-expands-southeast-asia-taiwan/
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OpenAI - A milestone in expanding access to AI
Primary · 31 Aug 2026, 02:00
https://openai.com/index/expanding-access-to-ai-with-chatgpt-ads/
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OpenAI Help Center - Ads Manager Availability
Primary · 24 Sept 2026, 02:00
https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001245-ads-manager-availability