A dated log of the ChatGPT ads rollout, from the February 2026 US test to the UAE and Saudi Arabia in September 2026. Each entry names its source.
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How to read this page
Entries marked OpenAI come from OpenAI's own pages. Entries marked third party come from independent trackers, named in each row. We update this log when OpenAI changes something, and the date at the top moves.
Timeline
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 9 February 2026 | Ads test begins in the United States | OpenAI help centre |
| February 2026 | Personalised ads signals become available to users who enable them | OpenAI help centre |
| 17 April 2026 | Australia, New Zealand and Canada reported as opening | Third party, Digital Applied |
| May 2026 | Ads Manager introduced, opening the platform to small and medium sized businesses | OpenAI, 31 August post |
| 5 June 2026 | Conversion bidding reported as activated | Third party, Digital Applied |
| 24 August 2026 | Ads confirmed for 31 European markets | Third party, Index Lab |
| 31 August 2026 | OpenAI announces a 1 billion dollar annualised run rate and self service for India, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa | OpenAI |
| 31 August 2026 | First Middle East and North Africa wave: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Tunisia | Third party, Index Lab |
| 16 September 2026 | UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Turkey added to the availability table | Third party, Index Lab |
| 21 September 2026 | 56 countries listed as available, UAE included | Our check of OpenAI's table |
What OpenAI has said about scale
From the 31 August 2026 announcement: a 1 billion dollar annualised revenue run rate in under 200 days, tens of thousands of advertisers, more than 1 billion weekly active ChatGPT users, more than 50 technology and measurement partners, and availability in over 40 countries through its sales team and partners. OpenAI also says CPC and outcome optimised bidding now make up the majority of campaigns.
What changed for users
OpenAI says ads show on ChatGPT's unpaid tier and the Go plan, never on Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise or Edu, and never to accounts identified as under 18. Personalised ads were not initially available in the European Economic Area or Switzerland.
What is in test
Sponsored Agents. OpenAI's help centre describes them as an advertising format that lets people chat with an AI representative of a business inside ChatGPT, opened from an ad. OpenAI says the format is available only to selected advertisers in a limited alpha test, and that it is not accepting early access requests. You may see one as a user even though you cannot buy one as an advertiser.
What OpenAI says comes next
More markets, and additional formats, objectives, buying options and measurement capabilities. It also says it will explore new ways for businesses to interact with consumers more natively in ChatGPT. No dates are given.
What this means for the Gulf
Every Gulf Cooperation Council country is now on the self service list. A UAE company can run campaigns across the region from one account, in dirhams. The practical work is local: Arabic creative, a page per market, and prices in the local currency.
Quick answers
When did ChatGPT ads start?
OpenAI's help centre says the test began in the United States on 9 February 2026.
When did ChatGPT ads open in the UAE?
Index Lab logged the UAE being added to OpenAI's availability table on 16 September 2026. We confirmed the UAE row ourselves on 21 September 2026.
How many countries have self service access?
56, counted from OpenAI's availability table on 21 September 2026.
What is coming next?
OpenAI says the next phase brings more markets and additional formats, objectives, buying options and measurement capabilities. It has not published dates.
Related
ChatGPT ads in the UAE
The UAE is on OpenAI's self service list. Who qualifies, the AED 65 daily minimum, how billing works and a four week test plan for UAE advertisers.
What ChatGPT ads are
Where ChatGPT ads appear, what an ad contains, how OpenAI picks which ad to show, who sees them and what advertisers can and cannot know.