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ChatGPT's new ad format fills the image generation loading screen with product carousels

ChatGPT's new ad format fills the image generation loading screen with product carousels

OpenAI is rolling out a new advertising format within ChatGPT that uses the image generation loading screen as ad inventory. US-based users will begin seeing shoppable product carousels during the seconds-long wait while the model renders an image. The timing is deliberate - rather than interrupting an active interaction, the ads occupy a moment when the interface is otherwise idle.

This placement is notable because it threads a narrow needle: image generation takes long enough to make an ad visible and readable, but the wait is brief enough that it does not feel like a forced ad break in the way pre-roll video ads do. Product carousels, which typically display multiple items with images and prices, are a format already familiar from social media and search advertising, lowering the friction for both advertisers and users.

For OpenAI, the move reflects ongoing pressure to diversify revenue beyond ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Enterprise subscriptions. The company has been exploring advertising partnerships for some time, and embedding ads into a high-traffic, visually oriented feature like image generation offers a relatively unobtrusive entry point. The image generation tool - powered by models including the DALL-E series and more recently GPT-4o's native image output - has seen substantial user engagement since features like the Studio Ghibli-style rendering trend drew wide attention earlier this year.

Whether users accept the format will likely depend on how well it is targeted and how disruptive it feels in practice. OpenAI has not yet confirmed a broader rollout timeline beyond the initial US availability, and it remains to be seen whether the format will expand to free-tier users, paid subscribers, or both. For advertisers, access to an audience actively engaged in a creative task represents a distinct context compared to traditional search or social placements - one that the company will presumably look to monetize further if early results hold up.

Read at The Decoder →
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