AI agents · September 18, 2026

OpenAI starts testing Sponsored Agents in ChatGPT as ads move into the chat

OpenAI has started testing Sponsored Agents inside ChatGPT, turning its first paid ad slot into something you can talk to. Announced on September 16, the feature lets a clearly labeled advertiser-run agent take over after you tap an ad, answer follow-up questions in the same chat, and hand you off to the business’s website when you’re ready. OpenAI says the sponsored agents stay separate from ChatGPT’s independent responses and your original chat.

Wayfair is joining at limited scale, and Angi launched a homeowner-facing agent, alongside Newegg, Best Buy, Lowe’s, and VistaPrint. Angi’s branded agent surfaces in ChatGPT conversations about home services and routes homeowners into Angi’s service-request flow. “Our AI-first strategy is simple: make it easier for homeowners to connect with and hire the right pro for their project,” said Angi co-founder Angie Hicks. “With OpenAI’s Sponsored Agent pilot, homeowners can go directly from discussing a home project in ChatGPT to connecting with a skilled local pro who can help.”

Alongside the pilot, OpenAI opened an Ads Manager plugin that lets advertisers create, update, and analyze campaigns with natural-language prompts — including turning a website or campaign brief into a campaign, reviewing performance, and receiving recommendations. It can suggest copy and images from a landing page, tailor headlines to the context of a conversation, and translate them into a user’s preferred language. HubSpot is OpenAI’s first CRM partner, and Shopify is its first e-commerce partner; the Shopify app goes international starting September 23.

Why it matters

This is the biggest change to ChatGPT’s interface since it launched: answers now come with a paid salesperson one click away. For users, the labeling matters — sponsored agents are marked and kept separate from independent answers. For small businesses, it’s a brand-new channel: a store can show up inside the conversation where shoppers are already asking questions.

Key facts

Sponsored Agents pilot began September 16, 2026, with select U.S. advertisers
Launch brands include Wayfair, Angi, Newegg, Best Buy, Lowe’s, and VistaPrint
Agents are clearly labeled and kept separate from ChatGPT’s independent responses
ChatGPT Ads Manager plugin builds campaigns from natural-language prompts, a website, or a brief
HubSpot is OpenAI’s first CRM partner; Shopify is its first e-commerce partner, going international September 23

Sources

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