ChatGPT ads reached 47% of tracked gaming conversations in June, Comscore data shows
Sponsored ads appeared in 47% of ChatGPT conversations about video games and consoles that Comscore tracked in US PC activity in June, up from 3% in March. The figure comes from the firm's Q2 2026 AI Intelligence Report, released on September 22.
Ad presence also climbed in two other retail categories. Toys and hobbies rose from 5% in March to 24% in June, growing every month. Books, music and video went from 9% in March to 22% in June, with a dip to 8% in May.
Gaming conversations held between 3% and 4% through April, then jumped to 18% in May and 47% in June. June was the first full month after OpenAI began rolling out its beta self-serve Ads Manager on May 5, which added cost-per-click bidding alongside the CPM buying used in the pilot's first phase. Comscore does not link the two.
The chart counts the share of conversations containing a sponsored ad, not users or impressions, and covers US PC activity from an opt-in panel. Comscore has not published conversation counts or explained how conversations are categorised, and it is unclear whether ad-free plans are included in the base. OpenAI says ads may appear for Free and Go users and logged-out use, while Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu accounts are ad-free.
For brands tracking whether they show up in AI answers, the numbers suggest paid placements are becoming a larger part of the ChatGPT experience in commercial categories, even as the measurement behind the figures remains incomplete.
Reported by Search Engine Journal ↗
Topics: ChatGPT, AI advertising, Measurement