AI news · OpenAI · advertising
ChatGPT ads can target users by email and phone, 404 Media finds
Advertisers can upload contact lists and aim ads at topics people raise in their chats, according to ads the outlet ran itself.
An advertiser who holds your email address, phone number or Android device ID can put a ChatGPT ad in front of you, 404 Media found after buying ads on the chatbot itself. The outlet published its findings on Thursday 15 October 2026.
The method is familiar to anyone who has run a Meta campaign. An advertiser uploads a contact list, and OpenAI matches it against ChatGPT accounts. 404 Media could also steer ads with context hints, topics or keywords drawn from what people type into the chat, MobileSyrup reports. Its own two ads warned readers that paid staff can see what they type into ChatGPT.
OpenAI’s answers came with limits. The company told 404 Media that it deletes advertiser data after 24 hours and that a list must hold more than 25,000 users before it can be used. OpenAI says a name on a list is not enough on its own to show someone an ad. Users can switch off ad personalisation, though the setting warns that ads can still draw on the current chat.
ChatGPT has about one billion monthly users, 404 Media reports.
For advertisers, ChatGPT now offers the list matching you know from Meta and Google, plus targeting by what someone is asking about right now.
Sources
- 404 Media: How ChatGPT Targets Ads To You Based On Your Prompts, Phone Number, and Email. Checked
- MobileSyrup: ChatGPT lets advertisers target you based on your personal data. Checked
Alexandre S.
Alexandre S. is a creative ad strategist and copywriter with ten years' experience in digital marketing across multiple channels.
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