OpenAI stepped onto the Cannes Lions stage, pitching its ChatGPT ad platform and Codex coding tool to agencies. The San Francisco AI group occupied a waterfront villa beside rivals Google and Meta, signalling a push to build a revenue stream ahead of its slated IPO. Former Meta exec Dave Dugan led the presentation, promising “something brand new” for advertisers seeking brand spend ahead of the listing.

OpenAI spent $34 bn last year, with costs outpacing revenue, prompting the ad push. Since February it has rolled ads out in seven markets in early tests and launched a self‑serve portal for SMBs in the US and other English‑speaking regions. Executives cite internal forecasts of a $100 bn advertising business by 2030, though some marketers doubt the timeline.

OpenAI’s effort mirrors Google’s recent move to insert ads in its “AI mode” search results, but ChatGPT remains ad‑free in the Gemini chatbot. Dugan says about 20% of queries show direct commercial intent, with travel, retail and financial services performing best. The rollout remains methodical, and the company is betting ads will subsidise free access to its AI.