OpenAI swaps manual bids for cost targets in ChatGPT ads
Max Bid and Max CPC will be removed from existing campaigns on January 1, 2027. Target CPA and Target CPC take their place, with bids adjusted automatically.
OpenAI has announced four changes to Ads Manager, the dashboard advertisers use to run ads in ChatGPT. Automatic bidding has a new name, cost targets per conversion and per click have arrived, product catalog campaigns can now target regions within a country, and product set filters have become more flexible. The most consequential change comes with a deadline: on January 1, 2027, maximum bids will no longer exist in running campaigns.
The updates arrived in the weekly update email OpenAI sends to advertisers, according to Search Engine Roundtable, in a report published on November 12, 2026.
Intelligent bidding and cost targets
The Maximize Results (Autobid) mode is now called intelligent bidding. According to OpenAI, it still adjusts bids and delivery automatically to pursue the desired business outcome within budget.
For new campaigns, Ads Manager now offers two targets. With Target CPA, advertisers set how much they want to pay, on average, for a conversion, such as a purchase or a lead. With Target CPC, they set an average cost per click. The system adjusts bids and delivery toward the target without requiring each bid to be managed by hand, and OpenAI itself cautions that actual costs may come in above or below the target.
In campaigns that are already live, Max Bid and Max CPC will be retired on January 1, 2027. Max Bid will be replaced by Target CPA, and Max CPC by Target CPC.
Regional catalog targeting and combined filters
Campaigns built on product feeds can now target specific regions or markets within a country, so product ads can be concentrated in the areas a business serves. The setting lives in the location options in Ads Manager, during campaign setup.
Product set filters have changed as well. In Ads Manager, advertisers can now combine multiple conditions on the same product field to refine which items go into each ad group.
What this means for brand teams
Advertisers running ChatGPT ads with Max Bid or Max CPC have until January 1, 2027, before those models are replaced by average cost targets, which work toward a goal rather than a bid set by the advertiser and do not guarantee the final amount paid. For brands that sell through a catalog, regional targeting means product ads can reach only the areas where the business operates.
Key questions
When do Max Bid and Max CPC stop working in ChatGPT ads?
On January 1, 2027, in existing campaigns. Max Bid will be replaced by Target CPA, and Max CPC by Target CPC.
Does a cost target guarantee how much a brand will pay?
No. OpenAI says actual costs may land above or below the target that was set.
Can brands advertise products in ChatGPT in only some regions of a country?
Yes. Product feed campaigns can now target specific regions or markets within a country through the location options in Ads Manager.
Source: Search Engine Roundtable.