The chatbot's ad business now reaches 89 markets, less than a year after a US pilot

That is 26 more than the 63 markets the company listed as of late September. It also caps a remarkably fast rollout for a product that began as a US pilot in February 2026.

ChatGPT Ads launched in the US in February 2026. The program then spread outward in waves, each one larger than the last.

August was the big leap. OpenAI added 31 European markets in a single push, which sharply widened the program’s reach.

India came next, along with markets across the Middle East and North Africa. On September 23, 2026, seven Southeast Asian markets joined the list.

Those seven were Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan. That wave brought the total to 63 countries.

OpenAI’s official documentation held at 63 through early October. The jump to 89 represents the program’s latest expansion.

Daily. Free. Join 34,000+ readers across crypto, finance, and policy.

OpenAI has not detailed which 26 markets made up this latest batch.

ChatGPT Ads hit a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate in under 200 days. OpenAI reached that mark by late August 2026.

Tens of thousands of advertisers have joined the program. Advertisers in the covered markets can use self-serve tools, so they can launch campaigns without first negotiating with a sales team.

Ads appear only for people on the Free and Go plans. Subscribers to Plus, Pro, and Enterprise get an ad-free experience.

OpenAI also says the ads are designed to stay visually separate from ChatGPT’s actual responses. The aim is to keep a sponsored placement from being confused with the assistant’s answer.

For advertisers, the expansion adds a new type of inventory in a growing number of markets. ChatGPT reaches users at the moment they are asking questions, which is often close to the point of a decision.

The international push also unlocks regional targeting. Brands in Southeast Asia, Europe, India, and the Middle East can now reach local ChatGPT users directly, rather than relying only on US-focused campaigns.

OpenAI has hinted at further geographic growth and new ad formats, while stressing user controls and ad relevance.