ChatGPT Sponsored Agents: What Businesses Can Access Now

Last checked October 26, 2026 against OpenAI's Help Center.

ChatGPT Sponsored Agents let people open a conversation with an AI representative of a business, directly from an ad. For advertisers, the format raises one practical question: can your business use it yet?

What a Sponsored Agent is

A Sponsored Agent is an ad format. A user sees an ad inside ChatGPT and can choose to start a chat with an agent run by the advertiser, to ask questions about its products or services.

According to OpenAI's announcement, the conversation is labeled as sponsored and kept separate from ChatGPT's own answers and from the user's original chat. OpenAI's example is a shopper asking whether a dining table fits their room, how many people it seats and how to care for it, with a link to the business's site when they are ready.

Can anyone create a Sponsored Agent?

No. OpenAI says the format is currently restricted to selected advertisers in a limited alpha test. Coverage of the announcement reports the test is limited to the United States. Seeing a Sponsored Agent in ChatGPT does not mean your advertising account has access.

Is there an early-access signup?

No. OpenAI is not currently accepting early-access requests. It says further participation details will be announced when access expands.

When was it announced?

September 16, 2026, in OpenAI's post "Reimagining advertising with AI". The same announcement introduced an Ads Manager plugin inside ChatGPT, suggested ad copy and imagery, opt-in AI text customization, a Shopify app and a HubSpot CRM integration. See the status board for where each one stands.

What OpenAI has not published

• Pricing, cost per click or cost per conversation
• How advertisers build an agent and what data it can access
• Measurement and reporting for agent conversations
• How agent answers are reviewed
• A date for wider availability

What businesses should prepare now

While waiting for wider access, prepare accurate answers to the questions customers ask before they buy:

• What does the product or service cost?
• Who is it suitable for?
• What are its limitations?
• How do delivery, cancellation and refunds work?
• When should a customer speak to a person?

A useful starting point: review your real customer enquiries and turn the recurring questions into a clear, factual FAQ. Whatever form the agent setup takes, it will need correct answers to these.

This is preparation advice, not a published OpenAI onboarding requirement.

What to watch next

Watch for confirmed changes to eligibility, signup, pricing and measurement. Until OpenAI publishes those details, avoid planning around assumed access or unconfirmed performance claims. Get one email when access opens.

FAQ

Can anyone create a ChatGPT Sponsored Agent?

No. OpenAI says Sponsored Agents are currently available only to selected advertisers in a limited alpha test.

Is there an early-access signup?

No. OpenAI states it is not accepting early access requests at this time and will share details when access expands.

If I see a Sponsored Agent in ChatGPT, does my ad account have access?

No. Advertisers may see Sponsored Agents in ChatGPT even when the format is not available for their own campaigns.

How much do Sponsored Agents cost?

OpenAI has not published pricing, cost per click or performance data for Sponsored Agents.

Which countries are Sponsored Agents available in?

Coverage of the September 16, 2026 announcement reports the test is limited to select advertisers in the United States.

Sources

1. OpenAI Help Center: Sponsored Agents in ChatGPT Ads (checked October 26, 2026)
2. Quartz: OpenAI tests sponsored AI agents inside ChatGPT ads (September 17, 2026)
3. Digital Applied: ChatGPT Ads add Sponsored Agents, Shopify app