As OpenAI plans to officially launch ads in the free and basic paid versions of ChatGPT in the coming weeks, this AI giant is trying to turn massive traffic into real revenue. According to AIbase, OpenAI has set an initially high price for its advertising business, with a CPM (cost per thousand impressions) pricing of approximately $60. This price is three times higher than traditional social media platforms like Meta (usually under $20) and directly matches top TV ad resources such as NFL broadcasts and targeted streaming ads.

Core Strategy: High Pricing and Precise Interest Capture

Different from Google and Meta's early strategies that focused on small and medium-sized businesses, OpenAI's approach appears more "premium." Its corporate partnership team currently bypasses agents and directly contacts well-known large enterprises in various fields.

Analysts believe that advertisers are willing to pay a premium because ChatGPT can directly capture users' "true interest preferences." When a user searches for "recommended travel suitcases," this open-ended demand indicates that the user has not yet formed brand loyalty, making it the best time for brands to enter the decision-making chain. It is reported that the first batch of ads will appear below ChatGPT's response content.

OpenAI, ChatGPT, artificial intelligence, AI

Data Bottleneck: Closer to the "TV Model" Rather Than "Digital Marketing"

Despite the high pricing, OpenAI's current advertising tools are still in their early stages. A media buyer revealed that OpenAI currently can only provide core data such as impressions and total clicks.

Compared to Google and Meta, which can track "purchase conversions, website visits, and user profiles," OpenAI does not disclose whether ads have led to actual purchases or provide query reply details. This model is closer to traditional television network advertising services. Olivia Korenberg, Chief Strategy Officer at marketing analysis company Haus, pointed out that in the early stages of the product and when demand is strong, OpenAI is not rushing to improve its data services. However, as the business grows, advertisers' demands for conversion effectiveness will become increasingly intense.

Future Outlook: Repeating Meta's Growth Path, Aiming for a Hundred Billion in Revenue

The recent move by OpenAI comes with heavy revenue pressure. It is reported that achieving $11 billion in revenue from non-paying users by the end of next year through the advertising business is its core strategic goal.

Industry expert Brian Stempelck said that ChatGPT's key task next year is to close the loop from "traffic" to "transactions." Looking back at history, Facebook also once went through a stage where it only sold impressions before transitioning to performance-based advertising in 2015, which led to a business breakthrough.

Currently, OpenAI has established a dedicated advertising sales team and has begun working with top advertising agencies to identify potential clients. As industry insiders say, to achieve a revenue scale of $100 billion, OpenAI must prove that it can not only bring "exposure" but also generate "orders."