Ask ChatGPT for the best laptop under Rp10 juta tonight and, on a free account, there's now a chance you'll see a brand paying to be there.
On 23 September 2026, OpenAI expanded ChatGPT Ads to seven new markets: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan. It follows launches earlier in the year in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and India, and takes the ad product to more than 60 countries.
For Indonesian marketers, this is the first new large-scale ad channel since TikTok. It's also a different kind of channel. People don't scroll ChatGPT. They ask it things, often right before they decide.
The key facts
| Launched in Indonesia | 23 September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Other new markets | Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan |
| Who sees ads | Users on the Free and Go plans only |
| Who doesn't | Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu users (ad-free) |
| Where ads appear | Labelled as ads and shown separately from ChatGPT's answer |
| How to buy | Self-service Ads Manager, OpenAI's Ads Solutions team, or agency and technology partners |
| Named agency partners | dentsu, Havas Media, Omnicom Media, Publicis Groupe, WPP |
| Privacy position (OpenAI) | Conversations aren't shared with advertisers. Ads don't influence answers. Users can control ad personalisation |
| Scale so far | US$1 billion annualised revenue run rate in under 200 days, with tens of thousands of advertisers (OpenAI, 31 August 2026) |
| Published pricing for Indonesia | None we could confirm at the time of writing |
Why this matters more in Indonesia than in most markets
OpenAI said in mid-2025 that Indonesia was among the three Asia-Pacific countries with the most active ChatGPT users. DataIndonesia.id puts ChatGPT's share of Indonesia's AI chatbot market at 82.71% for August 2025 to August 2026. In practice, "AI search" in Indonesia mostly means ChatGPT.
Paid plans cost real money relative to local incomes, so the ad-supported audience here is likely to be a large share of the total. Paying users won't see ads, so the free-plan audience is the one advertisers can reach.
People ask chatbots which phone to buy, which bank has the best savings rate, which hotel to book in Bali. Those are the moments brands pay search engines for today.
How it compares to what you already buy
| Google Search | Meta and TikTok | Programmatic (display, video, CTV) | ChatGPT Ads | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| User mindset | Looking for something | Scrolling, entertained | Reading, watching | Asking for advice |
| Targeting logic | Keywords | Profile and behaviour | Audience, context, placement | The conversation's topic and context |
| Maturity in Indonesia | Mature | Mature | Mature | Weeks old |
| Measurement history | Years of benchmarks | Years of benchmarks | Years of benchmarks | None yet locally |
OpenAI is explicit that ads do not influence ChatGPT's answers. That one sentence should shape how brands split their effort.
There are now two places a brand can show up when someone asks ChatGPT about its category:
- 1Inside the answer, because ChatGPT found and trusted information about you. You can't buy this.
- 2Next to the answer, in a labelled ad slot. You can buy this.
The first one is worth more. A recommendation inside the answer reads as advice. An ad next to it reads as an ad, however well targeted. If a competitor is named in the answer and you only appear in the sponsored slot, you're paying to stand beside their recommendation.
Getting into the answer is mostly about having clear, specific, trustworthy information available on the web:
- Your own website states plainly who you are and what you do, in text (not only in images) and in structured data that search engines and AI crawlers can read.
- You publish things worth citing: specific numbers, clear explanations, dated facts with named sources.
- Other credible sites mention you: news coverage, industry directories, reviews.
- Your information is consistent everywhere. The same name, description and facts on your site, LinkedIn, marketplaces and directories.
None of this is new. It's good SEO with a sharper reason to do it.
Should you buy ChatGPT Ads now?
Probably, in a small and disciplined way. Early ad markets tend to be less crowded, and the learning is worth having before competitors get it. Here's how we'd approach a first test:
- 1Pick one high-intent category question you want to win. For example, "best credit card for travel in Indonesia" or "laptop for students under Rp8 juta". Start with the questions closest to purchase.
- 2Check what ChatGPT already says about that question, in Bahasa Indonesia and in English. Note who gets named and why.
- 3Run a capped test budget for 4 to 6 weeks, with a clear success metric (cost per qualified visit, sign-up or sale), not impressions.
- 4Hold out a control. Compare against the same period in search and social, so you can tell whether ChatGPT is bringing new customers or just moving existing ones.
- 5Time it. Harbolnas 12.12 and the run-up to Ramadan 2027 are when shopping questions spike. A test in November gives you data before those peaks.
Treat any early benchmarks, including your own, as provisional. The auction is weeks old in Indonesia and prices will move as more advertisers arrive.
What to watch next
- Local pricing and minimum budgets for Indonesia, which we haven't seen published yet.
- Commerce integrations. OpenAI already works with marketplaces in other markets. A tie-in with a major Indonesian platform would change how quickly this channel drives sales.
- Regulation. Indonesia's Personal Data Protection Law (UU PDP) has been fully in force since October 2024. Watch how ad personalisation inside AI chats is treated as enforcement develops.
- Competition. Google already shows ads alongside its AI-generated search results in some markets. Expect "ads next to AI answers" to become a standard format.
Frequently asked questions
Are there ads in ChatGPT in Indonesia?
Yes. Since 23 September 2026, ChatGPT shows ads in Indonesia to users on the Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu users don't see ads.
Can brands pay to appear in ChatGPT's answers?
No. According to OpenAI, ads are labelled, shown separately from the answer, and don't influence what ChatGPT says. Appearing inside the answer depends on the information ChatGPT can find and trust about your brand.
How do you buy ChatGPT Ads in Indonesia?
Through OpenAI's self-service Ads Manager, OpenAI's Ads Solutions team, or agency and technology partners. Eligibility depends on where the advertising and billing entity is based.
How much do ChatGPT Ads cost in Indonesia?
OpenAI hadn't published Indonesia-specific pricing or minimum budgets at the time of writing. Plan a capped test budget and judge it on cost per result, not cost per impression.
Does ChatGPT share my conversations with advertisers?
OpenAI says conversations are kept private from advertisers, customer data isn't sold, and users can control ad personalisation.
Want help testing ChatGPT Ads alongside your search, social and programmatic budgets, or making sure your brand shows up in the answers? Talk to us.
Sources
- OpenAI, "ChatGPT Ads expands to Southeast Asia and Taiwan", 23 Sept 2026
- TechNode Global, 24 Sept 2026
- Inside AI News
- DataIndonesia.id, 28 Sept 2026
- Undang-Undang No. 27 Tahun 2022 tentang Pelindungan Data Pribadi
