In short: As of November 2026, OpenAI is the one with a self-serve AI ad platform: ChatGPT ads have been shown to users in Estonia since 24 August and Ads Manager has been open to European advertisers since 31 August. Google shows ads in AI Overviews and AI Mode through regular Google Ads campaigns, but AI Mode ads are not live in Estonia yet. Microsoft sells Copilot ads through Microsoft Advertising, and Amazon sells Sponsored Prompts in Rufus in the US. Perplexity wound down its ads, and Anthropic says Claude will stay ad-free.
In 2025 AI advertising was talked about as the future. In 2026 it is a real ad channel where you can set a budget, upload an ad and see results. But every platform has its own rules, and not all of them are available in Estonia. Here is who has already opened AI ad platforms, how to buy there and what it means for a business in Estonia.
OpenAI: ChatGPT ads
OpenAI is the most active new ad platform of 2026.
- 16 January 2026: OpenAI published its advertising principles: answers independent of ads, private conversations, user control.
- February 2026: testing began in the US for Free and Go users.
- 5 May 2026: a self-serve Ads Manager (beta) opened in the US with no minimum spend. CPC or CPM bidding and a Conversions API.
- 24 August 2026: ads reached 31 European markets, including Estonia. On 31 August Ads Manager opened to European advertisers.
- 21 October 2026: expansion to 26 more countries, 89 in total. OpenAI said ChatGPT ads had reached a $1 billion annualised run rate.
What it looks like: a sponsored box below the answer, clearly labelled and separate from it. Ads are matched on the conversation context, language and general location. Personalised ads are not offered in Europe at launch. Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu users and under-18s see no ads. Outside the US, ads for financial, health and legal services are generally prohibited.
How to buy: ads.openai.com – a business account, automated review (advertiser, ad and landing page) and human review where needed.
Google: AI Overviews and AI Mode
- AI Overviews: ads can appear above or below the overview in every AI Overviews market, and inside it in English in 12 countries.
- AI Mode: on 28 October 2026 ads expanded to 10 new countries and, in the US, into follow-up questions. Estonia is not on the list. See Google AI Mode ads.
- No separate account: ads come from existing Search, Shopping, Performance Max and AI Max campaigns. There is no AI Mode campaign type or report.
- New formats: Direct Offers (deals and promo codes in AI Mode) only serve with AI Max campaigns.
- Gemini app: no ads. In December 2025 Google denied reports that they would arrive in 2026.
Microsoft: Copilot
Microsoft was the first to put ads in a chatbot (Bing Chat, 2023). In 2026 ads appear in Copilot answers. In March 2025 it introduced Showroom ads (a virtual showroom inside the conversation), and on 8 January 2026 Copilot Checkout and Brand Agents. There is no separate account: eligible Microsoft Advertising campaigns can automatically show in Copilot, with no guarantee.
Amazon: Rufus and Alexa for Shopping
Sponsored Prompts in Amazon’s Rufus shopping assistant reached general availability in the US on 25 March 2026. They are paid per click and eligible campaigns were enrolled automatically. In May 2026 Rufus was folded into Alexa for Shopping. For Estonian online stores this only matters if you sell on Amazon.
Meta: no ads in chat, but the data is used
There are no ads inside Meta AI chats. But since 16 December 2025 Meta uses AI conversations in most regions to personalise ads on Facebook and Instagram. Sensitive topics (health, politics, religion and others) are excluded.
Who said “no” to ads?
- Perplexity launched sponsored follow-up questions in November 2024, stopped taking new advertisers in October 2025 and said in February 2026 it would not pursue ads further.
- Anthropic announced on 4 February 2026 that Claude will remain ad-free.
Summary: where can a business in Estonia buy AI ads?
| Platform | Status 11/2026 | How to buy | In Estonia |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Live, self-serve | Ads Manager (ads.openai.com) | Yes, since 24.08.2026 |
| Google AI Overviews | Live | Google Ads campaigns | Above/below when an overview shows |
| Google AI Mode | Live, expanding | Search, Shopping, PMax, AI Max | Not yet |
| Microsoft Copilot | Live | Microsoft Advertising | Depends on Microsoft Advertising markets |
| Amazon Rufus | Live in the US | Amazon Ads | Amazon sellers only |
| Gemini app | No ads | – | – |
| Meta AI | No ads in chat | – | – |
| Perplexity | Wound down | – | – |
| Claude | Ad-free | – | – |
What should a business in Estonia do now?
- Test ChatGPT ads with a small budget if your sector is not restricted (finance, health, legal).
- Check your landing pages: they must be crawlable, fast and answer the question the visitor arrived with.
- Set up conversion tracking and consent management before the first campaign.
- Do not forget organic visibility: the ad sits below the answer; your content can be inside it. See AI search visibility.
For how AI advertising works technically and why it exists, read AI advertising: how it works.
Frequently asked questions
Are ChatGPT ads available in Estonia?
Yes. Ads have been shown to users in Estonia since 24.08.2026, and European advertisers have been able to use Ads Manager since 31.08.2026.
Can I advertise in Google AI Mode in Estonia?
Not yet. The 28.10.2026 expansion did not include Estonia. Regular search ads can appear above and below AI Overviews.
Do ChatGPT ads have a minimum budget?
The self-serve Ads Manager has no minimum spend. The early managed pilot reportedly required tens of thousands of dollars.
Can advertisers see my conversations?
No. OpenAI gives advertisers only aggregated data (impressions, clicks). Personalised ads are not offered in Europe at launch.
Want your business to be visible both in AI ads and in AI answers? See our SEO services and AI search visibility, or contact us.
Sources
- OpenAI – Our approach to advertising and expanding access (16.1.2026)
- OpenAI – ChatGPT ads expands across Europe
- LI Solutions – ChatGPT ads open self-serve in Europe
- Search Engine Roundtable – ChatGPT ads expanding to 31 European countries
- The Star / Reuters – OpenAI expands ChatGPT ads to 26 more countries (21.10.2026)
- Google – Ads in AI Mode expand to new markets (28.10.2026)
- Google – A new generation of ads for the AI era of Search
- Search Engine Land – Google denies ads are coming to Gemini in 2026
- Search Engine Land – Microsoft Copilot adds Showroom ads and Dynamic filters
- Acadia – Advertising in the age of Rufus: Sponsored Prompts
- Meta – Improving your recommendations with AI at Meta
- Thrad – Perplexity ads in 2026: program ended
- Anthropic – Claude is a space to think (4.2.2026)
