ChatGPT gaming ad presence surged to 47 percent by June, Comscore says

Photograph: Tint Media/Shutterstock. OpenAI wordmark belongs to OpenAI. — Image credit: Search Engine Journal

Sponsored advertisements appeared in nearly half of ChatGPT conversations concerning video games and consoles by June 2026, marking a significant increase from earlier in the year, Comscore reported.

The digital analytics firm’s Q2 2026 AI Intelligence Report revealed that 47 percent of U.S. PC-based ChatGPT discussions about gaming included sponsored ads in June, a substantial jump from just 3 percent in March 2026.

This surge coincided with OpenAI‘s expansion of its advertising platform, which began testing ads in ChatGPT for logged-in adult users in the U.S. on its Free and Go tiers starting Feb. 9.

OpenAI further rolled out a beta self-serve Ads Manager and introduced cost-per-click bidding on May 5, making June the first full month after these new features were implemented.

Beyond video games, other content categories also experienced notable increases in ad presence within ChatGPT conversations. Discussions related to toys and hobbies saw ads rise from 5 percent in March to 24 percent in June 2026, according to Comscore data.

Similarly, conversations focused on books, music and video content showed an increase in ad inclusion, growing from 9 percent in March to 22 percent by June 2026.

Comscore’s analysis is based on U.S. PC activity from an opt-in panel and measures the share of ChatGPT conversations that feature a sponsored advertisement.

OpenAI has continued to develop its advertising capabilities, launching a new ChatGPT Ads application for U.S. Shopify merchants on Sept. 16, with plans for broader expansion.

The company is also experimenting with “Sponsored Agents,” a feature that allows users to initiate new conversations directly with business-sponsored agents after clicking on an ad, OpenAI stated.

Source: Search Engine Journal