OpenAI Expands ChatGPT's Ad Test to Five New Countries

OpenAI confirmed on August 11, 2026 that ad testing inside ChatGPT reached five new markets: the United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil, Japan and South Korea. According to the company's official announcement and reporting from Ghacks and MLQ News published on August 13, the pilot had started in the United States in February 2026 and had already passed through Canada, Australia and New Zealand before reaching this new group of countries.

How the Test Works: Who Sees Ads and Who Doesn't

According to OpenAI, ads appear only for logged in adult users on the Free and Go tiers, ChatGPT's two no cost or lower cost access levels. Subscribers on the Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Education plans keep browsing ad free, preserving the paid experience as an advertising free differentiator.

Brazil Joins ChatGPT's Monetization Test Route

Brazil's inclusion in the August group marks the first time the country appears on the list of markets testing ChatGPT ads, alongside powerhouses such as Japan and the United Kingdom. That places Brazil among the first markets outside the United States to try this new OpenAI monetization format, ahead of most of Latin America.

Privacy and User Controls, According to OpenAI

The company states that ads do not influence ChatGPT's answers and that advertisers do not have access to users' conversations, receiving only aggregate metrics. According to the official announcement, users can dismiss an ad, give feedback on it, see why that specific ad was shown, delete personalization data with one tap and adjust personalization preferences at any time.

The Backdrop: Monetization Ahead of a Possible IPO

The ad test moves forward as OpenAI seeks to diversify revenue beyond subscriptions and the API, while the company prepares for a possible public listing, having already filed a confidential registration with the SEC in June. Growing the base of users that generates ad revenue, without charging them directly, is a way for the company to show commercial traction on another front ahead of any public offering.

Why It Matters for Brazilian Agencies and SMBs

For marketing and customer service agencies in Brazil, ChatGPT ads arriving is relevant on two fronts. First, end clients using the Free or Go plan will now live alongside advertising inside the assistant itself, which could change how they use the tool day to day. Second, and more important for anyone thinking about paid media, this is the birth of an ad channel inside a generative AI assistant, worth watching closely: the history of new digital advertising formats, from Google Ads to Meta Ads, shows that early testers of these channels tend to learn how to extract results from them before the competition does.