Ads are now being piloted in ChatGPT in the U.S., showing up for a subset of users across multiple account types. For the first time, advertising is entering an AI-driven answer experience – and that rewrites the playbook for marketers. We’ve been using AI for years to help create and plan ads on Google, LinkedIn and paid social. But inserting ads directly into an AI assistant that people rely on to think, decide and take action is a fundamentally different shift. This isn’t just another placement to bolt onto an existing media plan. The core issue isn’t targeting. It’s psychology. If advertisers simply copy what works in search or social, results will likely underwhelm and user trust could erode. Dig deeper: Are ChatGPT ads worth NFL-level money? To win, brands must grasp how and why people turn to ChatGPT, and what that implies for attention, relevance and the overall customer journey. ChatGPT is a task environment, not a feed People open ChatGPT with a job to get done. That might include: Solving a defined problem. Narrowing down a shortlist. Planning a trip. Drafting content. Untangling a complex decision. This is a sharp contrast with feed-based platforms, where users expect to scroll, be interrupted and stumble on content passively. In task-first environments like ChatGPT, behavior shifts: Goal shielding: People focus tightly on completing the task, screening out anything that doesn’t move them forward. Interruption aversion: When someone is concentrating, unexpected distractions feel more annoying. Tunnel focus: Users value clarity, speed and momentum over wandering exploration. As a result, clicks will probably be harder to earn than many advertisers anticipate.…