📰 ChatGPT Ads, Meta Ads, TikTok Ads, Amazon Ads and other platforms news

At unBoxed 2026, Amazon announced Amazon Ads Agent, a unified platform with agentic AI combining the former Ads Console and Amazon DSP, along with new Full-Funnel Campaigns and DVA+.

OpenAI emailed advertisers announcing bulk creation of product feed campaigns from a spreadsheet, a new product review status, and richer conversion data through the Insights API.

Amazon announced Sponsored Services to connect shoppers with local service providers (with Yelp as the anchor partner) and generative AI creative tools built directly into the Amazon Ads Agent conversational experience.

OpenAI is testing 'Sponsored Agents', a feature letting users start conversations with company agents directly from ads, alongside new AI-assisted ad creation tools in Ads Manager and integrations with HubSpot and Shopify.

Meta now lets brands amplify a creator's live Instagram broadcast as a paid advertisement, extending a feature that already exists on Facebook to Instagram for the first time.

Reddit announced general availability of its Max campaigns, which automate targeting, creative selection and rotation, placements, and budget allocation, after testing them with a limited group of advertisers since January 2026.

Full-Funnel Campaigns combines sponsored ads, display, video and streaming TV into a single AI-managed campaign, and is now available to all US advertisers selling on Amazon.

The FTC and 22 state attorneys general are suing Amazon, alleging it secretly overcharged advertisers in its search ad auctions for more than seven years, rising from 30-40% of auctions in 2021 to about 80% by 2024.

Amazon and OpenAI launched a managed-service pilot placing Amazon DSP ads inside ChatGPT responses, with product feed ads auto-generated from Amazon catalogs, US-only at launch.

Amazon Ads introduced a new tier of tools on its Ads MCP Server allowing third-party AI agents to access specialized capabilities; the first, the AMC SQL Generator, translates natural-language requests into validated Amazon Marketing Cloud SQL queries and is now in closed beta in the US.

Amazon Ads unveiled its new "Amazon Ads Agent" platform at unBoxed 2026, replacing the former Ads Console and Amazon DSP with three campaign types: Sponsored Ads, Display, Video and Audio+ (DVA+), and Full-Funnel Campaigns, all powered by AI with a natural-language chat experience.

An industry analysis confirms that, as of September 2026, self-serve access to ChatGPT Ads Manager is available in 63 countries, including all EU member states, the UK, Switzerland, Norway, the US, Canada, Japan, India, Brazil, and the UAE.

OpenAI announced new AI-powered advertising tools, including Sponsored Agents that let users converse with a business after clicking an ad, plus AI-generated creative assistance and HubSpot and Shopify integrations.

For the first time, advertisers can see the overall health status of their campaigns directly in TikTok Ads Manager, labeled Good, Fair, or Poor, with clear guidance to improve and qualify for available coupons and incentives.

TikTok evolved its Agency Badging Program with a new two-tier model to highlight best-in-class agency performance.

TikTok updated its advertising policy for alcohol-related establishments to require approval and certification from local regulating authorities, and explicitly prohibited certain surgeries, including weight loss and aesthetic genital surgeries, in ads.

Meta and YouTube confirmed they will accept advertising for director Alex Gibney's upcoming Elon Musk documentary, following earlier reports that several social platforms had rejected the ads.

According to a report, on September 16, a week before the expansion, OpenAI introduced so-called Sponsored Agents along with new Ads Manager features, broadening the ad platform's capabilities.

TikTok introduced a new Agentic Hub that automates reporting, audience management, and budget optimization via AI, alongside a Pulse Mentions feature, though rollout timing to all markets remains unclear.

Starting August 10, Amazon Sponsored Products campaigns began serving inside Amazon Influencer Program creator content with no advertiser action required, sparking controversy over the lack of clear notice about the expansion.

OpenAI introduced new controls in the Admin Console allowing global admins of ChatGPT Enterprise, EDU, and Business organizations to manage whether connected applications can access ChatGPT Ads. Both new permissions are off by default during the admin preview.

OpenAI noted that advertisers can access ChatGPT Ads in the new markets through its Ads Solutions team and agency partners including dentsu, Havas Media, Omnicom Media, Publicis Groupe and WPP.

OpenAI told MARKETECH APAC that the decision to expand to Southeast Asia and Taiwan stemmed from strong advertiser interest in the region, including its waitlist, and lessons learned from previous market launches.

Ahead of the Southeast Asia expansion, it was reported that adtech company Equativ became a technology partner for ChatGPT Ads, including campaign support in Japan.

With the new expansion, OpenAI began rolling out ChatGPT Ads in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan, and opened self-service buying to businesses in all seven markets from day one, unlike the earlier India launch.

Meta introduced its official Ads CLI, a tool that enables system user token setup and campaign management commands, compatible with AI assistants like Claude Code or Codex.

Amazon Ads launched location-based interactive video ads and 'Next Up' ads that appear between episodes on Prime Video, expanding its streaming advertising offering in Australia.

OpenAI released the ChatGPT Ads app for Shopify, letting merchants connect their store to Ads Manager, automatically sync their product catalog, and set up the OpenAI Pixel.

Meta no longer requires matching Instagram and Threads usernames to run Threads ads, letting brands with no Instagram profile advertise directly on the platform.

Meta launched a new Creative Diversity rating inside Ads Manager that scores the creative variety of advertisers' campaigns.

OpenAI announced the expansion of ChatGPT Ads to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Taiwan, surpassing 60 countries with platform availability. Eligible businesses can access the self-serve Ads Manager from day one.

OpenAI introduced to select clients a new AI-native ad format that, when the call-to-action button is clicked, opens a branded chat with the brand's AI agent instead of sending users to an external website.

At its 2026 Upfront, Amazon Ads highlighted its authenticated audience graph covering 90% of U.S. households and being named the only leader in omnichannel advertising by Forrester, alongside growth in Prime Video viewership.

Bing is testing a "Top Pick" label on its sponsored result product carousels, highlighting a potential new way for products to stand out in search results. The "Top Pick" label is prominently displayed in the product carousel, potentially drawing more eyes to specific listings. This update was shared.

TikTok unveiled expanded measurement and ad integrity solutions along with new advertiser controls, aiming to build a more transparent, measurable, and trusted advertising ecosystem.

Starting September 29, Meta made live video ads generally available on Instagram, allowing brands to sponsor creator livestreams as partnership ads.

According to an update of OpenAI's Ads Manager availability table, ChatGPT Ads now operates in 52 countries, with ads matched to users based on conversation topic, chat history, and past ad interactions.

OpenAI confirmed that its HubSpot (first CRM partner) and Shopify (first commerce partner) integrations are live for US businesses and will expand to markets where ChatGPT Ads is available starting September 23.

A platform update roundup notes that the biggest recent ChatGPT Ads changes are new Shopify and HubSpot integrations, alongside the testing of Sponsored Agents that let users chat directly with a brand's own agent.

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar described the text/image answer-based ad units (launched September 10 via Amazon DSP and Adform) as a "basic starting point" compared to the new Sponsored Agents.

While Sponsored Agents remain a US-only test, the Shopify route opens in other markets on September 23, giving advertisers outside the US a practical on-ramp to the format.

In its 'Ads in ChatGPT: The Basics' documentation, OpenAI reaffirms that ads are not eligible to appear near sensitive or regulated topics like personal health, mental health, or politics, and are not shown to accounts identified as under 18 on the Free and Go plans.

Industry coverage notes that while ChatGPT Ads reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate in under 200 days, questions remain about actual performance, as agency buyers say returns have not yet materialized.

Snapchat announced it will focus on AI-driven performance improvements and expanding native ad formats like Reminder Ads and Sponsored Snaps, amid stalled user growth in the US and EU.

OpenAI updated its official ChatGPT Ads blog with a new entry titled 'Reimagining advertising with AI,' listed as the most recent post in the ad platform's news section.

Under the title 'Reimagining advertising with AI,' OpenAI announced Sponsored Agents (brand-backed conversational agents triggered after an ad click), a creative assistant for generating ad copy and images, and natural-language campaign management inside Ads Manager.

OpenAI began testing Sponsored Agents with select US advertisers, business-sponsored AI agents that hold a separate conversation with users after they click on an ad in ChatGPT.

Alongside the Sponsored Agents launch, HubSpot became OpenAI's first CRM partner for ChatGPT Ads, and a new Shopify App Store connector opened the channel to US merchants.

OpenAI began testing Sponsored Agents, advertiser-backed bots that start a clearly labeled conversation separate from ChatGPT's own answer, with Wayfair and Angi as launch partners in the US.

Amazon Ads announced that its Amazon Ads MCP Server is now available in open beta, aiming to reduce advertising workflow complexity through AI agent integration.

OpenAI updated its Ads Manager Beta documentation, the platform for creating, launching, and managing ChatGPT Ads campaigns, clarifying that it remains a beta product with limited capabilities that will expand over time.

OpenAI confirmed its advertising division hit a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate in less than 200 days since launch, with the platform now used by tens of thousands of advertisers globally.

Angi confirmed it is one of the first partners testing the new format, deploying an agent that connects users to local contractors, while Wayfair offers personalized product recommendations within the same ChatGPT conversation.

Snapchat, Pinterest and Reddit are leveraging AI tools to make ad buying easier for small and medium businesses, aiming to diversify revenue beyond major brand budgets.

OpenAI unveiled Sponsored Agents, an ad format that lets brands complete real tasks inside a ChatGPT conversation rather than just showing a banner, with Angi confirmed as the first named partner alongside a direct commerce integration with Shopify.

A report indicates ChatGPT Ads is drawing advertiser demand but falling short on click-through rates, targeting capabilities and platform reach, according to media agencies.

Wayfair stated it is testing the new format at small scale, applying guardrails around product accuracy, transparency, and handoffs to customer service when needed.

Starting September 16, businesses using HubSpot can connect their ChatGPT Ads account and manage campaigns without leaving the CRM, while US Shopify merchants can use a new app in the Shopify App Store with their catalog already integrated.

US-based Shopify merchants can now install the new free ChatGPT Ads app to create and manage campaigns with their product catalogs automatically integrated. The app will roll out to international markets where ChatGPT Ads is available starting September 23.

OpenAI made generally available a new campaign type that optimizes conversions from both ad clicks and ad views, with billing based on impressions while delivery optimizes toward the conversion goal. The company describes it as its recommended model for maximizing performance.

OpenAI announced its first CRM integration with HubSpot and first ecommerce integration with Shopify for ChatGPT Ads, letting businesses create ads, sync product catalogs, and track performance without leaving those tools. The Shopify app launched in the US on September 16 and will expand internationally on September 23.

Reddit introduced a Split Testing feature in Ads Manager offering five test types, including Max-vs-standard campaign comparisons, to optimize ad performance.

Meta released its own first-party MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for ads, enabling AI agents to connect directly to ad account management.

Meta introduced Meta One on September 15, a four-tier paid subscription that gates previously free features like Competitive Insights and Custom Audience Insights, available across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Meta AI.

Amazon Ads officially announced that its flagship unBoxed 2026 conference will take place from September 28–30 at the Moscone West Convention Center in San Francisco, expected to bring new ad formats, AI capabilities, and measurement tools. The event will gather advertisers, agencies, and developers to learn about upcoming platform innovations.

Snapchat introduced Total Snap Takeovers, a format placing brands in the first ad slot across all app tabs, and opened its ads platform to third-party AI agents via its own MCP server.

TikTok continues strengthening requirements for brands and agencies to operate from a verified, official presence on the platform, expanding formal agency recognition based on managed spend.

Amazon Ads and OpenAI launched a pilot on September 10 letting select U.S. advertisers buy ChatGPT ad space through Amazon DSP, with Delta Vacations among the first brands testing it. Amazon manages campaign setup, but OpenAI's system still decides which ads appear and where.

Digiday reported on September 14 that OpenAI was testing with select clients an ad format that opens a chat with the advertiser's AI agent instead of redirecting to a website, confirmed by Wayfair as part of the pilot.

Amazon Ads confirmed its flagship unBoxed 2026 event will take place September 28-30 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, where it will unveil new AI-powered advertising products.

Days before the Sponsored Agents launch, OpenAI finalized the integration of Amazon Ads into the ChatGPT ad inventory via its DSP, laying the commerce infrastructure groundwork.

Amazon Ads announced a partnership with OpenAI to enable conversational advertising within ChatGPT, with select U.S. advertisers currently testing the format as part of a pilot.

A recent report notes that ChatGPT ad performance varies widely among advertisers, with some reporting costs per click under $3 while others pay up to $13, and highly uneven lead generation results.

Meta's Marketing API v24.0 sunsets on October 6, 2026, and on October 27 the v26.0 field removals extend to all remaining API versions, affecting developers and integration tools.

X is rolling out a new ad platform that consolidates campaign objectives and standardizes structure, including ad-group-level budgets and simplified optimization options.

Amazon Ads announced that Prime Video advertising will be introduced in Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Turkey during 2026, expanding its streaming ad inventory in Europe.

TikTok struck a first-of-its-kind IP licensing deal with Disney that turns fan content into a formal distribution channel, amid a month of major regulatory and platform shifts.

Reddit introduced a new 15-second Engaged Video Views optimization goal that lifted view-through rates by 51% and completion rates by 71% in alpha testing, suited for trailers and testimonials.

OpenAI updated its ads platform in early September to require product feeds for shopping results, while adding new global markets, an Ads Manager plugin, and audience tools for ecommerce brands.

Starting August 1, a specific group of Amazon advertisers contacted directly lost the ability to use a credit card as their primary ad payment method, with costs now deducted from seller/vendor account balance or via Pay by Invoice. Amazon clarified the change is narrow and does not affect most advertisers, who were already paying via account balance deduction.

Pacvue, a commerce operating system for retail media, integrated Reddit Ads in 2026 so brands can buy and track campaigns alongside more than one hundred retail media networks like Amazon and Walmart.

Meta announced new AI-powered tools to boost purchases from livestreams working with platforms like CommentSold and Firework, and rolled out 'Post-view ads,' a new ad format for Instagram Reels.

The FTC and 22 state attorneys general filed suit against Amazon alleging it secretly inflated prices in its advertising auctions after 2019 rule changes, potentially costing advertisers more than $20 billion.

TikTok Ads introduced Mini Series, an in-app episodic storytelling feature for brands and marketers, paired with Growth Max to amplify automated ad performance.

TikTok published its ad policy change log updated through September 2026, with accumulated modifications across categories like financial services, alcohol, prediction markets, and adult content.

Reddit launched Max campaigns on a limited basis in January 2026 and, after encouraging initial results, opened them to all advertisers in September 2026; the tool automates nearly the entire ad creation process.

Amazon Ads invited advertisers to its annual flagship conference, where it will share how AI and new advertising solutions aim to make it easier for brands of every size to drive results.

TikTok introduced Growth Max: Mini Games, a new way to promote games directly within the app, letting users engage without ever leaving TikTok.

Meta now allows advertisers to build custom audiences specifically for excluding groups such as existing customers or opted-out users, helping avoid wasted budget on unwanted audiences.

TikTok announced an update to its Financial Services ad policy allowing Contracts for Difference (CFD) ads in Canada and the United States, subject to strict compliance and prior approval from a TikTok sales representative.

TikTok announced that SMB advertisers can now choose full, partial, or manual automation control over audience, budget, placements, and catalog within Smart+, with new visual labels in the interface.