OpenAI tests Sponsored Agents that turn ChatGPT ads into brand chats

OpenAI is pushing ChatGPT ads past static placements. On September 16, 2026, the company said it is testing Sponsored Agents, a format that lets someone who clicks an ad choose to open a clearly labeled chat with a business-sponsored agent. In the same update, OpenAI rolled out AI tools for advertisers in Ads Manager and connected ChatGPT Ads to HubSpot and Shopify, framing the package as the next step in an advertising platform built around AI.

From ad click to branded conversation

Ads in ChatGPT already aim to help people find products or notice something new. OpenAI argues that curiosity often starts there and then stalls. A shopper might see a dining table in an ad and still wonder whether it fits a room, how many people it seats, or how to care for the finish.

Sponsored Agents are meant to close that gap. After seeing a relevant ad, a user can opt into a conversation with an agent the business sponsors. They can say what matters to them, ask follow-ups, and follow a link to the company’s website when they are ready. OpenAI stresses that the Sponsored Agent chat is distinct from ChatGPT’s independent answers and separate from the original conversation that led to the ad. The feature is being tested with select advertisers in the United States.

For users, the pitch is a clearer way to judge fit before leaving the chat. For businesses, it is a chance to answer interested shoppers in a personalized exchange rather than sending them straight to a landing page.

AI that builds and tunes the ads

Alongside the consumer-facing test, OpenAI is putting more of the campaign workflow into ChatGPT. Advertisers can use natural-language prompts with the Ads Manager plugin to create, update, and analyze campaigns. They can turn a website or brief into a campaign, check performance, and get recommendations on what to do next.

Ads Manager itself now suggests copy and imagery based on a landing page and campaign objective. OpenAI says advertisers stay in control: they review and edit suggestions before anything joins a campaign. An optional AI text-customization setting can adapt existing headlines and descriptions to the context of a conversation and automatically translate ad copy into a user’s preferred language.

The company also noted that marketers can create ads by writing a few prompts in ChatGPT Work, positioning AI as a way to cut time spent on process rather than replace final approval.

HubSpot and Shopify as first connectors

OpenAI said adopting a new ad channel should not force businesses to rebuild their stack. HubSpot is its first CRM partner. From September 16, businesses that manage customers in HubSpot can connect a ChatGPT Ads account, create ads, track performance, and follow up on leads inside HubSpot using their HubSpot context.

Shopify is the first ecommerce partner. U.S. Shopify merchants can use a new ChatGPT Ads app in the Shopify App Store to create and manage campaigns. Products are already linked through Shopify Catalog, so merchants can start running ads and tracking performance without a separate catalog sync. OpenAI said the app will be available internationally in markets where ChatGPT Ads is available starting September 23.

Businesses can sign up at ads.openai.com, or start through the HubSpot and Shopify apps where eligible. OpenAI frames the launches as a two-sided bet: new ad experiences that feel useful inside an AI chat, and AI tools that let marketers spend less time on setup and more time on growth. Whether Sponsored Agents stay a limited U.S. test or become a default path from ad to checkout will depend on how clearly users can tell a sponsored agent from ChatGPT itself.