Criteo is integrating with OpenAI’s advertising pilot program in ChatGPT, becoming the first advertising technology partner to do so, the companies announced Monday.
The partnership will allow brands to leverage Criteo’s digital advertising platform within the free and Head versions of ChatGPT in the United States. The rollout is expected to begin in the coming weeks, according to a press release from Criteo.
“This integration with OpenAI represents an exciting step forward in advancing advertising in an emerging AI experience,” said Michael Komasinski, Chief Executive Officer of Criteo. “Through this pilot, we are helping shape how advertising can support discovery and consideration within Large Language Model (LLM) platforms, grounded in experiences that are additive, relevant, and built on user trust.”
Criteo, which activates more than $4 billion in annual media spend and works with 17,000 advertisers globally, noted that users referred from LLM platforms like ChatGPT currently convert at approximately one and a half times the rate of other referral channels. This suggests a high level of user intent when interacting with these AI platforms, according to the company.
The move comes as OpenAI seeks to expand the commercial applications of ChatGPT and other generative AI models. Integrating with an established ad tech provider like Criteo is intended to provide brands with a means to participate in the growing conversational AI landscape.
On LinkedIn, Criteo highlighted the opportunity to evaluate how brands can advertise within ChatGPT while simultaneously driving demand back to retailer and brand websites. Hugo Loriot, commenting on Criteo’s LinkedIn post, noted the potential for Criteo to “arbitrage the CPM/CPC/pROAS based on actual ad engagement,” and that adoption by Criteo clients would be a key indicator of the e-commerce potential of the new channel.
Malin Andersson, also commenting on LinkedIn, emphasized Criteo’s long-standing focus on AI, stating that the company has been working with LLMs for several years and launched AI agents in 2024. She described the integration as a natural fit for Criteo, positioning the company at the forefront of “Agentic Commerce.”
