ChatGPT Ads May Be Coming: What It Means for Local Businesses

Are ChatGPT Ads Coming Soon? What Businesses Should Know

In a recent interview on Conversations with Tyler, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that ads will likely come to ChatGPT “at some point.” He didn’t give details or a timeline, but that one sentence was enough to spark a lot of conversation in the marketing world.

The interview hints at something big: AI chat tools might soon become a new place for businesses to advertise,  not just a tool for answering questions.

What This Could Look Like

If ads do roll out, they probably won’t look like the ones you see on Google or Facebook.
Instead, think of AI-powered recommendations built right into the conversation.

For example:

• A user asks, “What’s the best coffee shop near me?”
  
  
  

• ChatGPT could respond with an AI-generated list, but also include sponsored mentions from verified local businesses.

That’s not confirmed yet, but it’s the direction things seem to be heading. AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews are quickly becoming discovery engines, places where people find answers and make decisions.

Why It Matters

If advertising inside AI chat becomes a reality, it could change how customers discover small businesses online. The focus will shift from who ranks highest on Google to who AI trusts enough to recommend.

That means the same things that help you rank locally like accurate information, trusted reviews, and consistent updates, will matter even more. AI models use that data to decide which businesses to mention or recommend.

If your Google Business Profile isn’t fully optimized yet, that’s the place to start.
You can learn how to strengthen yours with Google Business Profile Optimization through Local Howl.

The Takeaway?

ChatGPT ads aren’t live yet, but they’re likely on the way. When they do arrive, being visible, trusted, consistent, and locally relevant, will matter more than ever.

Businesses that start preparing now will already have a leg up when AI-powered advertising officially enters the chat