The news: OpenAI is turning to agencies for the next phase of ChatGPT ad growth.

• The company posted a job listing for an agency partner for its ad solutions team, with the goal of growing ad revenues through relationships with major holding companies and independent agencies.
• The role will help OpenAI secure recurring media spending commitments—ideally building the agency relationships needed to scale ChatGPT advertising.
• This approach mirrors how companies like Meta and Google build agency relationships to deepen their role in annual media plans.

Zooming out: The role could help OpenAI turn early advertiser interest into recurring media spending by making ChatGPT ads easier for agencies to incorporate into ongoing plans, helping OpenAI shift away from its reliance on one-off advertiser tests—and building a more sustainable source of ad revenues as OpenAI faces an expected shortfall.

• The company last week reportedly told investors that 2026 revenues would reach $50 billion, well below the $70 billion that it signaled to investors last month. That makes building a sustainable ads business more important as OpenAI works toward its previously stated revenue goal.
• Building recurring demand will be essential as OpenAI pursues its ambitious goal of $100 billion in ad revenues by 2030. Reaching that scale would require it to attract advertiser spending comparable to Google’s, making it critical for OpenAI to secure sustained investment across a broader range of advertisers.
• Even though OpenAI has expanded its ad buying and measurement capabilities, it still needs to demonstrate that ChatGPT ads are capable of delivering consistent, measurable results that justify sustained investment. Working more closely with agencies could give advertisers greater confidence in ChatGPT as a channel worth investing in over the long term.