OpenAI Debuts First 'Super Bowl' Ad with $8 Million Spent in 30 Seconds

Over 100 Million Viewers Each Year... Significant Advertising Impact
OpenAI Hired a Marketing Chief Last Year

OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, is making its debut in the TV advertising market with a commercial during the Super Bowl, the largest sports festival in the United States and the championship game of the National Football League (NFL). Every year, the Super Bowl is watched by over 100 million people worldwide, making its advertising impact significant. Amid the increasingly fierce competition in the artificial intelligence (AI) market, OpenAI is interpreted as aiming to secure more users through its Super Bowl advertisement.

The Wall Street Journal reported on the 5th (local time) that OpenAI plans to air its first TV commercial during the Super Bowl on the 9th. This is the first time OpenAI is running a Super Bowl advertisement.

The Super Bowl is the most popular professional sport in the United States. It is broadcast live to over 100 million viewers worldwide every year, and a 30-second commercial costs a huge amount of $8 million (approximately 11.5 billion KRW). Therefore, companies with deep pockets mainly advertise. Every year, the Super Bowl ads give an indication of which industries or companies are thriving that year. Last year, big tech companies such as Google and Microsoft (MS) competed to promote themselves through commercials.

Unlike other AI companies, OpenAI has not engaged in promotional activities or aired separate advertisements until now. It dominated the market without much marketing activity. As of last year, the number of ChatGPT users reached about 300 million.

The reason OpenAI changed its stance is that it recognized the necessity of marketing amid the increasingly fierce competition. Last year, OpenAI also signaled its intention to strengthen its marketing by recruiting Kate Rucci, former Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Coinbase.

The AI market is currently witnessing intense competition with well-funded large corporations such as Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon, as well as startups entering the field. Recently, the Chinese startup DeepSeek has also thrown down the gauntlet in this market, with new competitors continuously emerging. Companies are pouring money generously into advertising to outpace their rivals. The amount spent on advertising by AI-related companies last year reached $332 million (480.7 billion KRW), which is double the amount spent in 2023.