OpenAI is quickly becoming a new advertising channel, but early reactions from advertisers are mixed as brands struggle with scarce data, murky performance signals, and a product that’s changing fast. Driving the news. Two months into the rollout of ads in ChatGPT, marketers are testing the waters — yet still don’t have robust measurement tools or reliable performance benchmarks. Most early campaigns are focused on impressions, offering minimal visibility into actual outcomes. Reported CPMs are steep, with initial minimum spends in the six-figure range. Some advertisers say the offering feels immature and slow to evolve. The vibe check. As Ad Age reports, advertiser sentiment falls somewhere between cautious optimism and mounting frustration. The optimism is tied to ChatGPT’s role as a leading consumer AI platform. The frustration is driven by limited transparency, weak targeting options, and thin reporting. Why we care. This coverage underscores both the upside and the downside of being an early adopter of AI ad platforms. ChatGPT provides access to a rapidly expanding, high-intent user base, but the lack of measurement clarity and shifting feature set make it difficult to justify large-scale investment. It’s a cue to test carefully, learn quickly, and start shaping an AI advertising strategy without locking in too much budget too early. The bigger picture. OpenAI’s advertising push comes as it balances multiple priorities — from core AI innovation to enterprise expansion — amid intensifying competition from Google and Anthropic. Some industry observers argue OpenAI has “cast too wide a net,” dabbling in video, commerce, and other initiatives before narrowing focus. Its Instant Checkout commerce tool was quietly rolled back, while its video ambitions have also ceded ground to…