Why ChatGPT ads won’t likely impact holiday sales in a major way this year

Brands don’t expect ChatGPT ads to gift them significant sales this holiday season.  

Since launching its ad capabilities in early 2026, ChatGPT has rapidly emerged as a hot new channel for advertisers eager to tap into the growing AI-driven search. With hundreds of brands now betting on OpenAI’s advertising capabilities, they’re hoping to reach the high-intent user base and convert them into shoppers. However, the initial wave of excitement shows that AI platform ads are still in their infancy.

Beyond barriers like expensive cost-per-click rates and unproven sales, AI assistants are still establishing themselves as a trustworthy source for product recommendations. Not to mention, the busy fourth quarter is not an ideal time to risk blowing ad budgets on experimentation. Advertisers still largely view ChatGPT as a costly testing ground rather than a dependable channel, especially when compared to tried-and-true players like Meta and Google.

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