ChatGPT ads are labeled sponsored cards that OpenAI shows alongside ChatGPT's answers to people on its Free and Go plans. Advertisers buy them in OpenAI Ads Manager, starting at $25 a day. In the US, law firms may advertise if they are licensed where the ad is shown. The ad is separate from the answer: paying does not make ChatGPT recommend you.
What a ChatGPT ad is
OpenAI announced on January 16, 2026 that it would test ads in ChatGPT. Its stated promises: ads are clearly labeled and separated from the organic answer, conversations are kept private from advertisers, and user data is not sold to them. OpenAI's help center adds that ads run on systems separate from the chat model, and advertisers cannot shape, rank or alter ChatGPT's responses.
In practice a person asks a question, ChatGPT answers, and a labeled sponsored card for a relevant advertiser can appear with the answer. A person asking "I was hit by a truck, which lawyer should I call?" is at the exact moment a law firm wants to be seen.
Who sees them
| Plan | Sees ads? |
|---|---|
| Free | Yes |
| Go | Yes |
| Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, Edu | No |
| Users OpenAI identifies as under 18 | No |
| Temporary Chats | No |
Some logged-out use also shows ads. Advertisers see aggregated results such as views and clicks, not what people typed.
Can law firms run them?
Yes in the US, with conditions. OpenAI's ad policy permits legal-services ads when the advertiser is licensed to practice law in the jurisdiction where the ad is shown. Legal ads outside the US remain prohibited. Until late August 2026 the policy said legal ads were not permitted, so older pages saying "lawyers can't advertise on ChatGPT" are out of date. Legal is still a restricted category: expect business verification and manual ad review, and your state bar's advertising rules apply as usual. More in Can lawyers advertise on ChatGPT?.
What it costs to start
- Minimum: $25 a day per campaign, about $750 over 30 days.
- Pricing: a second-price auction weighted by relevance, bought per view or per click. OpenAI has not published average click prices for legal ads.
- Billing: after ads run, when spend reaches a threshold.
Full detail: how much ChatGPT ads cost for law firms and how to advertise on ChatGPT as a lawyer.
Should a law firm care?
Bookedly (bookedly.co) is an AI marketing agency for law firms, and our view is: test it in one case type if you can answer leads within minutes and have a way to track signed cases. Do not stop Google to fund it. Wayman Law Group in St. Louis got 3 signed cases from ChatGPT Ads in under 2 weeks with us; Matt Wayman said: "Had our first two calls from chatads today. Signed one of them up and the other is calling me Friday to sign up." One firm is not a benchmark and we promise no result.
Ads versus being recommended
Two different things can put your firm in front of a ChatGPT user: the sponsored card (paid) and being named inside the answer (earned). The second depends on your listings, reviews, website and outside mentions. See how to get your law firm recommended by ChatGPT and ChatGPT Ads vs Google Ads.
Questions
What do ChatGPT ads look like?
A labeled sponsored card shown with ChatGPT's answer, separate from the answer text.
Do ChatGPT ads change ChatGPT's answers?
No. OpenAI says advertisers cannot shape, rank or alter responses.
Can lawyers advertise on ChatGPT?
In the US, if licensed where the ad is shown and approved by OpenAI.
How do I buy one?
Through OpenAI Ads Manager: what it is and how law firms use it.
Do I pay per lead?
No. You pay per view or per click. See how your firm shows up today: the Free AI Visibility Check.
Sources (checked October 28, 2026)
- OpenAI, "Our approach to advertising and expanding access to ChatGPT" (openai.com/index/our-approach-to-advertising-and-expanding-access/)
- OpenAI Help Center "Ads in ChatGPT" (help.openai.com/en/articles/20001047)
- OpenAI
- OpenAI Help Center