Amazon DSP on ChatGPT Ads: An Opportunity for Italian B2B

Background: why Amazon DSP's arrival in ChatGPT changes the rules of the game

When a mature advertising infrastructure like Amazon DSP enters a new environment, the signal isn't just technical. It's strategic. Amazon DSP brings proprietary purchase data, intent-based targeting capabilities and a network of advertisers already used to thinking in terms of audiences, not just keywords. That's why the pilot that Marketing Dive covered in detail is not a simple format test.

It's an attempt to bring the logic of informed demand, typical of search engines, into a conversational interface. This distinction is fundamental. People who ask ChatGPT a question aren't browsing passively: they're looking for a structured answer to a specific problem. As a result, the advertising context is inherently more qualified than many other display channels.

For Italian SMEs in B2B verticals such as manufacturing, professional services, technology and distribution, this scenario deserves immediate attention. At SHM Studio, we see it as one of the most significant developments in the digital advertising and paid media landscape right now.

How the pilot works: architecture and access

The pilot is currently live in the United States and available through Amazon DSP as a managed service offering. This means it's not a self-serve format open to everyone. Access requires working with an Amazon Ads account manager or a certified partner. So the barrier to entry isn't strictly financial, but operational.

Ads are integrated into ChatGPT's responses contextually. These aren't banners layered over the text: the ad appears as sponsored content related to the user's query. Much like Shopping Ads on Google, the model uses the semantic relevance of the conversation to decide when and how to show an ad.

Amazon brings its own purchase and behavior data, which is among the richest targeting assets available on the market. However, combining it with a conversational interface like ChatGPT introduces new variables: the nature of the prompt, the session context, the funnel stage the user is in. These factors call for a creative and strategic approach different from traditional formats.

Relevant use cases for Italian SMEs

The first applicable scenario involves B2B companies with complex products or services, where the buying cycle includes an in-depth research phase. A purchasing manager who asks ChatGPT to compare management software, industrial equipment or consulting services is exactly the profile this format can reach. In this context, advertising doesn't interrupt: it supports a process that's already underway.

The second scenario involves brands already present on Amazon that want to extend their visibility beyond the platform. For these advertisers, the pilot is a natural extension of their DSP strategy. What's more, those who have already built custom audiences on Amazon can potentially use them in this new context too, reducing the initial learning cost.

The third use case covers companies in high-consideration categories, such as insurance, finance, professional training and enterprise technology, where users tend to consult multiple sources before deciding. In these verticals, appearing during the conversational research phase can significantly influence brand preference. It's worth remembering that, as we discussed in our article on ChatGPT Ads and the billion-dollar ARR milestone, the channel has already shown concrete and growing monetization power.

Finally, companies that are diversifying their media mix and reducing their dependence on Google Ads and Meta will find in this pilot an interesting option for testing a channel that's still uncrowded. Low competition in the early stages of a new format has historically been one of the best times to build learnings at a low cost.

Trade-offs to weigh before allocating budget

The first critical issue is measurability. Ad formats inside conversational interfaces pose attribution challenges different from those of traditional channels. As we explored in our article on advertising attribution and the risks of data models for SME budgets, relying on surface-level metrics without understanding the underlying logic can lead to skewed budget decisions. So before investing in ChatGPT Ads via Amazon DSP, you need to define clear KPIs and a robust measurement framework.

The second trade-off is creative control. A contextual, conversational format calls for messages that blend naturally into the flow of an AI response. This isn't a banner to resize: it's content that has to meet the user's informational expectations. Companies used to interruptive creatives may find it hard to adapt their tone.

The third factor is geographic availability. The pilot is currently limited to the United States. Italian SMEs that want to get in early should monitor the program's expansion, but they can't yet run campaigns directly in their home market. That said, those operating in English-speaking markets or with an international presence can consider an immediate test.

Then there's the risk tied to traffic quality. As we documented in our analysis of bot and AI traffic and protecting your ad budget in 2026, new digital channels often come with uncertainty about the quality of impressions and clicks. A managed service approach partially reduces this risk, but doesn't eliminate it. You need to put independent verification tools in place from day one.

Comparing channels: when it makes sense to diversify

Many marketing managers are asking whether ChatGPT Ads via Amazon DSP should replace or complement their existing channels. The answer is clear: it's a complementary channel, not a replacement. Google Ads remains the benchmark for explicit demand and direct conversion. Meta remains effective for building awareness and retargeting. However, neither reaches users at the moment they're actively building an understanding of a complex problem.

It helps to compare this development with what's happening on other channels. For example, the evolution of Google Ads Local Customer Optimization for retail shows how even mature channels are trying to get closer to real user intent. The market is moving in one direction: targeting by intent and conversational context is the future of paid media.

For companies already using Amazon DSP for retargeting campaigns or to promote products on the marketplace, the ChatGPT Ads integration is a low-friction extension. By contrast, for those who have never operated in the Amazon Ads ecosystem, managed service access requires an upfront investment in onboarding and setup.

Those who start building expertise today will have a significant edge when the channel goes mainstream.

Market signals: what the adoption data says

The context of this pilot is no accident. ChatGPT recently hit a major advertising revenue milestone, a sign that the conversational monetization model is finding commercial validation. According to data reported by the Wall Street Journal, the growth of OpenAI's ads segment has been among the fastest in digital advertising over the past twelve months.

Choosing Amazon as the first infrastructure partner is no accident either. Amazon Ads is the third-largest player in the global digital advertising market, after Google and Meta. Bringing its DSP technology into ChatGPT legitimizes the channel in the eyes of institutional advertisers and agencies. As a result, we expect other ad networks to follow with similar integrations in the coming months.

For Italian SMEs, the right time to start exploring isn't when the channel becomes available in Italy, but now: getting familiar with how the format works, defining your own use cases and preparing creatives suited to a conversational context.

Our recommendation: three operational priorities for 2026

The first priority is active monitoring. Companies already working with Amazon DSP should ask their Amazon Ads account manager for updates on the pilot's progress and the timeline for geographic expansion. If you don't yet have a relationship with Amazon Ads, consider starting one, even just to be well positioned when the channel opens up.

The second priority is creative preparation. A conversational format calls for informative messages, not promotional ones. Companies should start developing content that answers their target audience's specific questions, so they're ready when the format becomes available. Our strategic copywriting and digital marketing services are already geared to support this kind of transition.

The third priority is reviewing your media mix. Before adding a new channel, you need a clear view of current performance. An audit of your existing Google Ads campaigns, with particular attention to attribution quality, is the starting point. At SHM Studio, we offer this kind of analysis as part of our AI services applied to marketing and our Google Ads campaigns.

In short, the Amazon DSP pilot on ChatGPT is a signal that conversational advertising is becoming infrastructure. This is not the time to wait. It's the time to understand, prepare and position yourself. If you'd like to explore how to integrate this evolution into your strategy, contact the SHM Studio team for a dedicated consultation.