ChatGPT Sponsored Agents explained
On September 16, 2026, OpenAI unveiled a new ad format: Sponsored Agents. After seeing an ad, a user can enter a conversation with an AI agent built by the brand, without leaving ChatGPT. It is the first time an ad platform sells a conversation rather than a click. Here is what is confirmed, what is not, and what it means for brands.
Key takeaways
- A Sponsored Agent is a brand AI agent users can choose to chat with, in a clearly labelled space separate from their main conversation.
- The agent answers product questions (dimensions, price, use…) before the user clicks through to the site.
- Status on October 2, 2026: testing with select US advertisers. No self-serve access and no public application route.
- Unknowns: the billing model, how agents are built, and what data they can access.
- The format targets considered purchases, the ones that raise several questions before a decision.
How a Sponsored Agent works
The flow, as described by OpenAI: a user sees an ad below a ChatGPT answer. Instead of clicking straight to the site, they can open a conversation with the brand’s agent. That conversation is labelled as sponsored and kept separate from their exchange with ChatGPT. They ask their questions, the agent answers, then the user follows a link to the website if they want to.
OpenAI’s example is a dining table: how many seats, exact dimensions, how to care for it. Exactly the questions a salesperson handles in a store.
The Sponsored Agent journey
What is confirmed and what is not
Sponsored Agents: what we know
Confirmed
- Announced on September 16, 2026
- Testing with select US advertisers
- Labelled conversation, separate from ChatGPT
- Link to the brand’s site at the end
Not disclosed yet
- Billing model (click, conversation, conversion?)
- Tool to build and train the agent
- What data the agent can access
- Rollout timeline, including Europe
Which brands is it for?
The format makes sense whenever a purchase raises several questions before a decision: furniture, equipment, travel, training, software, home services. For a simple low-priced product, a standard ad or a product carousel is enough.
It extends a trend Meta already established with click-to-message ads: instead of sending the prospect to a page, you open a conversation. The difference: here the brand’s AI answers, inside the assistant.
How to prepare now
Even without access, the groundwork is the same as for any automated sales conversation:
- List your customers’ real questions: the ones you get in DMs, comments and on the phone. Those are what the agent will have to answer.
- Write factual answers: dimensions, prices, lead times, terms. An agent cannot invent what you have not documented.
- Prepare for objections: “it’s too expensive”, “will it work for me?”. They are what drive conversion.
- Test standard ChatGPT Ads now: the context hints and landing pages you build will serve agents too.
Where Perroly fits
Sponsored Agents will be set up at OpenAI. But the underlying work, knowing what your customers ask and answering automatically without losing the human touch, you can do today on Instagram and Facebook with Perroly’s messaging automations: keyword replies, welcome messages, replies to ad clicks. Our messaging automation guide explains the method.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Sponsored Agent on ChatGPT?
An AI agent built by a brand that users can choose to chat with inside ChatGPT after seeing an ad. The conversation is labelled as sponsored and separate from the ChatGPT exchange.
Who can use Sponsored Agents?
As of October 2, 2026, only select US advertisers in a test, with no public application route or timeline for other countries.
How much do Sponsored Agents cost?
OpenAI has not disclosed any price or billing model.
Do Sponsored Agents influence ChatGPT’s answers?
According to OpenAI, no: the agent conversation is distinct and labelled, separate from ChatGPT’s answer.