Key Points at a Glance
- OpenAI has been testing ads in ChatGPT since early 2026. This affects free and low-cost accounts (Free, Go). The paid plans (Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, Education) remain ad-free.
- On May 20, 2026, Google showed new ad formats for AI search, including conversational ads built with Gemini and AI shopping ads. All are labeled as "Sponsored."
- In Germany, neither has been rolled out on a regular basis yet. The tests are running in the U.S. and a handful of other countries.
- For you, this means: paid spots are moving into the AI answer. Free visibility, being named in the answer itself, remains the lever you hold in your own hands.
- No reason to rush. The first sensible step is to know whether and how AI searches already name you today.
For years, an AI's answer was ad-free. You asked a question, you got an answer. No ad block, no "sponsored."
That is changing right now. OpenAI is testing ads in ChatGPT. Google is building ads directly into its AI search. Both say the ads are clearly marked and kept separate from the actual text.
In this post, we calmly lay out what has really been decided and what is still a test, and what that means in concrete terms for your company's visibility. No hype, no panic.
What is happening right now
Two of the most important search channels are changing their answers. Here are the documented facts, split by provider.
ChatGPT: ads in the free version
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is testing ads in the chat. Here is the status according to OpenAI's own statements:
- The test runs for logged-in, adult users on the Free (free) and Go (low-cost entry) plans.
- The Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education plans remain ad-free.
- Ads appear as "sponsored" and are kept separate from the actual answer text.
- According to OpenAI, ads do not influence the answer. Conversations stay private from advertisers.
The test started in the U.S. From May 7, 2026, OpenAI expanded it to more countries, including the United Kingdom, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, and South Korea. According to OpenAI's release notes, further markets were added in late June 2026.
Google: new ads for AI search
On May 20, 2026, Google presented new ad formats at its advertising conference, "Google Marketing Live." They are built for AI search, meaning answers that Google generates with its AI model Gemini. They include:
- Conversational Discovery ads: ads that appear as part of the dialogue when you "talk" to search.
- AI shopping ads: Gemini pulls in matching products and writes a short explanation alongside them.
- Highlighted Answers: featured answer placements.
Here too, all formats are labeled "Sponsored." In AI Mode (the conversational mode of Google Search), Google is also testing a shopping format that shows retailers with a "Sponsored" label among the regular results.
What has not happened yet
Here is the honest read that often gets lost in the hype.
In Germany and the rest of the DACH region, these ad formats have not been rolled out on a regular basis yet. What is running today is a test in select markets. That does not mean it will pass you by. It means you have time to prepare instead of react.
It also matters to keep apart two things that are easy to mix up:
- Paid placement: an ad someone pays for. It is marked.
- Organic mention (also called a "citation"): the AI names your company or your page in its answer because it considers the content helpful. You pay nothing for this.
From now on, both exist side by side. You buy the ad. You earn the mention through good, well-backed content.
Why this matters for B2B
You might be thinking: ads in ChatGPT sound like consumer stuff, not mechanical engineering or industry. The point runs deeper.
When paid spots move into the AI answer, the room for free visibility gets tighter. The very answer where your company used to be named for free now gets company from ads. That shifts attention.
For the B2B mid-market, this means two things.
First: the organic mention becomes more valuable, not less important. Whoever shows up in the AI answer as an expert source stands next to, sometimes even above, the advertising. You get there through content that answers a real question cleanly. Not through a bigger budget.
Second: ads in AI answers have so far leaned heavily on products and shopping. For B2B services that need explaining, the quick buy click is rarely the path. That makes it all the more important whether the AI names your company as a competent contact when someone researches a problem.
What you can do now
No big program. A few level-headed steps, in a sensible order.
- Get an overview. Ask AI searches (ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Perplexity) the typical questions your customers ask. See whether and how your company is named. That is your baseline.
- Strengthen the content that answers questions. Pages that answer a specific customer question clearly and with evidence are more likely to be named as a source. General promotional copy rarely is.
- Watch the labeling. Learn to tell ads ("sponsored" or "Sponsored") apart from the organic answer. That helps you read results correctly and later spend budget deliberately.
- No blind buying of AI ads. As long as the formats are not regularly available in the DACH region, there is nothing to book here. Anyone selling you "AI advertising for Germany" today is selling you a test you do not control.
- Watch the rollout. When the formats reach Germany, you decide with data whether paid spots suit your case. Not before.
If you do not want to test it yourself, you can [have it checked whether AI searches already name you today]. That is the most honest starting point: first know where you stand, then act.
What we take from this
A frank word from practice. We have watched AI search since the first AI answers appeared in Google, and we help clients get named there.
What we have learned: every new advertising announcement triggers the same reaction. First excitement, then the question, "Do we have to book something right now?" The answer is almost always no. The lever that stays even after the ad rollout is the same as before: content that answers a real question better than the competition.
Ads in the AI answer change the stage. They do not change why an AI names your company.
Conclusion
The ad-free AI answer was an interim state, not a permanent one. OpenAI and Google are building ads into their answers, clearly marked and, for now, in test markets.
The good news: you do not have to rush anything. In Germany, nothing is regularly live yet. And the most important lever stays free: being named as a helpful source in the answer.
Not sure whether AI searches already name your company today? That is exactly what a short check can clear up.
[ → Have it checked whether AI searches already name you today ]
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there now ads in AI answers everywhere on ChatGPT and Google?
No. OpenAI is testing ads in ChatGPT on the Free and Go plans, initially in the U.S. and a few other countries. The paid plans remain ad-free. Google presented new AI ad formats in May 2026 and is rolling them out step by step. In Germany, neither is regularly available yet.
Can you tell what is advertising and what is not?
Yes. Both OpenAI and Google label the ads ("sponsored" or "Sponsored") and keep them separate from the actual answer text. According to OpenAI, advertising does not influence the content of the answer.
Do I have to book ads in AI searches now?
For the DACH region there is currently nothing to book on a regular basis, because the formats have not been rolled out here yet. It makes more sense to know your own visibility in AI answers and to strengthen the content that answers customer questions.
What is the difference between an ad and a mention in the AI answer?
An ad is a paid, marked spot. A mention (citation) is when the AI names your company or page as a source on its own, because it considers the content helpful. You pay nothing for the mention. You earn it through good content.
Does this already apply in Germany?
Not on a regular basis yet. The ad formats from OpenAI and Google are currently running as a test in select markets. When they will reach Germany is open. This time can be used to clarify your own starting position.
Sources
- OpenAI: Testing ads in ChatGPT. openai.com
- OpenAI Help Center: Ads in ChatGPT. help.openai.com
- Google Blog: A new generation of ads for the AI era of Search. blog.google