Digital advertising has evolved significantly over the years. It has become more targeted, more measurable, and more personalized. For a long time, much of that evolution revolved around a simple objective: getting the click. Today, artificial intelligence is opening the door to another possible stage: what if the click became the beginning of a conversation? That is what OpenAI is starting to explore with Sponsored Agents, a new advertising format introduced in September 2026. After seeing an ad in ChatGPT, a user can choose to start a conversation with an AI agent representing the company and ask questions about its products or services. However, it is important to keep the context in mind: this is still an alpha test limited to selected advertisers, not a widely available format.
From the click to the conversation
In a traditional journey, an ad generally leads to a website, where the user then has to look for the information they need. With conversational advertising, part of that exchange could begin immediately. OpenAI gives the example of someone interested in a table who can directly ask whether its dimensions will fit their space, how many people it can seat, or how to care for it. Digital advertising is therefore no longer limited to saying, “Here is what we offer.” It can begin by asking, “What do you need?” And that qualification can work both ways. The user can quickly determine whether the offer is right for them, while the company can clarify its limitations, service areas, or the types of projects it accepts. A company specializing in sheds, for example, could immediately explain that it does not build garages.
An evolution still worth watching
It is too early to know whether conversational advertising will become commonplace or whether users will truly embrace this type of interaction. Still, the test is interesting because it shows where platforms are beginning to focus their attention. After years spent improving targeting, impressions, and clicks, they are now starting to explore what can happen after an ad has captured someone’s interest. The website is not disappearing. Neither is the click. But part of the discovery, questioning, and qualification process could eventually happen before a person even reaches the website. Sponsored Agents are still only an experiment. They do, however, offer an interesting glimpse at a possible next step: advertising that does more than get seen or clicked, but can also start a conversation.
