Opinion
ChatGPT is becoming the next frontier for digital advertising
"OpenAI’s strategy is clear: build trust first, monetization later. Integration with Amazon will happen only after users see ChatGPT as a “trusted personal assistant,” not another sales channel," writes Hila Gil, CMO of Natural Intelligence.
In case you missed the news, OpenAI recently announced a new feature called Instant Checkout, which allows ChatGPT users to purchase products directly within the chat - without leaving the conversation. Just like that, something shifted: ChatGPT, our friendly new smart companion, is starting to look less like a tool and more like a business platform. Not a traditional one filled with flashing banners or pop-ups, but a far subtler and more sophisticated space. Some will call it “advanced services.” Others will recognize it as the first step toward in-chat advertising.
Whatever the label, the meaning is clear: OpenAI can’t rely forever on paid subscriptions and its partnership with Microsoft. To compete with platforms like Google or Meta, it needs a scalable revenue engine. The big question is - what does advertising look like inside a conversation?
What Will Chat Monetization Look Like?
In a chat interface, there’s no room for banners or pop-up ads—only for trust. So how can brands advertise without breaking that trust? One possibility is service-based advertising - the chat simply helps you buy. You ask for a recipe? It offers to order the ingredients from Amazon.
You ask how to plan a vacation? It asks if you’d like to book through Booking.com.
Makes sense, right? So why hasn’t it happened yet?
Because there’s a fine line between a helpful assistant and a sales agent. The moment users suspect their “smart assistant” has a financial motive behind its suggestions, the entire model collapses.
No one yet knows exactly what the future of chat monetization will look like, but it will likely rest on several layers:
- Premium business models – access to advanced capabilities, data analytics, private integrations.
- A paid GPT Store – similar to the App Store model.
- Sponsored recommendations – but only when they’re 100% relevant.
- Transaction commissions – every time a chat leads to an actual purchase.
When Will We See E-commerce Integration?
Another big question: why isn’t there already integration with Amazon, Walmart, or other giants that could turn ChatGPT into the ultimate digital mall?
First, control over user experience is the most valuable asset in the world. OpenAI (and Microsoft behind it) knows that real power lies in the interface. Once you let Amazon “in,” it’s no longer just a partner - it becomes the main store inside your store.
There’s also the issue of business models still under construction. Integration requires a clear revenue-sharing framework - who gets what percentage per transaction? OpenAI is still defining its own revenue structure (subscriptions, GPT Store, enterprise plans). It’s not ready to lock in long-term deals with giants that could compress margins. Add Amazon’s own AI investments (Anthropic, Bedrock), and you get a clear strategic reason for keeping distance.
Finally, the experience itself isn’t yet ready for commerce. Personalization, payments, logistics - all of these involve a web of legal responsibility, refund policies, sensitive data, and regulation. Once a chat includes phrases like “order for me,” “send it to me,” or “invoice to…,” it becomes a full-fledged commerce platform, carrying full consumer responsibility. That requires infrastructure not yet in place - technological, business, and regulatory alike.
Trust as the Foundation for Meaningful Advertising
OpenAI’s strategy is clear: build trust first, monetization later. Integration with Amazon will happen only after users see ChatGPT as a “trusted personal assistant,” not another sales channel. That’s the difference between a salesperson and a friend who knows you well enough to suggest what’s right for you - and OpenAI aims to be the latter.
For many organizations, this marks a marketing mindset shift. If conversation is the new platform, the focus is no longer on standing out, but on being relevant. Not on selling, but on participating and integrating into the new interface. Brands that learn to join the conversation intelligently, transparently, and authentically will be the ones that win. The advertising of the future won’t be an “ad” - it will be a dialogue.
Hila Gil is the CMO of Natural Intelligence.
