OpenAI is changing how advertisers bid for ChatGPT campaigns from 9 November, introducing target-cost options for conversions and clicks. The practical change is that new campaigns will use Target CPA or Target CPC, while the existing Max Bid and Max CPC options are set to retire on 1 January 2027.
OpenAI Watch analysis
What happened
For conversion campaigns, Target CPA lets advertisers set an average cost for an action, such as a purchase or lead. OpenAI says its system will adjust bids and delivery towards that target. Target CPC does the equivalent for click campaigns, allowing bids above or below the chosen target in individual auctions while aiming for the desired average cost per click.
Existing campaigns will keep their current bidding strategy for now, but advertisers can switch them to the new options. OpenAI says Maximize results, its automatic bidding option, is now called intelligent bidding. Search Engine Roundtable reports that the details came from an email OpenAI sent to advertisers.
Why it matters
This gives advertisers more control over the average price they are aiming for, while leaving the system room to vary individual bids. It is a shift from setting a maximum bid on each auction to setting a cost target across campaign results. The distinction matters: a target is not a guaranteed price, and delivery may suffer if the target is too restrictive or conversion signals are weak.
Our read
Advertisers do not need to panic-rebuild existing campaigns this week, but they should check their conversion tracking and compare proposed targets with actual CPA or CPC before switching. OpenAI’s advice is sensible; the real test will be whether the new controls meet those averages without leaving budgets idle. A bidding dashboard can promise many things. The campaign results get the final say.
What to watch
- Whether Target CPA and Target CPC deliver close to advertisers’ chosen averages.
- How campaign delivery changes when targets are restrictive or conversion data is weak.
- Whether existing campaigns transition smoothly before Max Bid and Max CPC retire on 1 January.
Discussion spark: Should advertisers set a target average and let the system vary individual bids, or keep a hard ceiling on every auction?
Sources and evidence
- OpenAI Updates ChatGPT Ads Bidding Options (5 November 2026, 18:29 UTC)
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