OpenAI is making its debut at the world’s top advertising event, pitching its nascent ChatGPT ad business and Codex programming tool to marketers and agencies this week as part of efforts to build a new multibillion-dollar business before its listing.
The lossmaking AI group is presenting at the annual Cannes Lions advertising conference in the south of France for the first time, occupying a swish villa along the harbour from established adtech rivals such as Google and Meta.
Talking at the event, Dave Dugan, the former Meta executive who now leads OpenAI’s global advertising team, said the AI company was bringing “something brand new to the market” as it attempts to challenge Google’s dominance in search ads.