OpenAI debuts ChatGPT ads at Cannes, CPM plunges

OpenAI debuted ChatGPT as an advertising platform at the Cannes Lions festival, projecting $2.5 billion in ad revenue by 2026 and $100 billion by 2030. Early CPM pricing dropped from $60 to $25 in ten weeks before shifting to cost-per-click bids of $3 to $5. The company reported attracting thousands of advertisers and emphasized improved ad relevancy.

OpenAI made its Cannes Lions debut this week to pitch ChatGPT as an advertising platform, presenting reported early metrics and ambitious revenue forecasts. According to The Next Web, David Dugan said OpenAI has already attracted "thousands of advertisers," and the company projected $2.5 billion in ad revenue for 2026 , $11 billion for 2027 , and $100 billion by 2030 . Early pricing moved quickly: The Next Web reports the pilot launched at a $60 CPM and fell to about $25 CPM in ten weeks, then shifted to cost-per-click bids between $3 and $5 , per reporting. Adweek quoted OpenAI chief revenue officer Denise Dresser saying relevancy has improved and called the format "about usefulness." Reporting across Ad Age, Marketing Dive, Semafor, and AdExchanger covers the same Cannes push and the broader industry reaction.