OpenAI Reportedly Planning 60-Second Super Bowl Ad as AI War Intensifies

The AI boom has entered its most expensive phase yet… and OpenAI is reportedly spending big to stay in front.

OpenAI is expected to return to the Super Bowl stage this year, with plans to air a 60-second commercial during NBC’s Super Bowl LX broadcast, according to The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter. If confirmed, it would mark the second year in a row the ChatGPT maker has bought airtime during the biggest night in US television.

The move comes as AI companies ramp up spending to win users, attention, and trust, often all at once.

Last year’s Super Bowl appearance was a milestone for OpenAI. It was the company’s first major paid advertising push since its founding, signaling a shift toward mass-market marketing rather than relying primarily on word-of-mouth.

Super Bowl ads don’t come cheap. According to The Wall Street Journal, some advertisers are paying more than $8 million for just 30 seconds of airtime this year. That figure does not include the additional cost of producing a Super Bowl-ready commercial, which can run into the millions — or even tens of millions — of dollars.

It remains unclear how much OpenAI would be paying for its reported 60-second slot. NBCUniversal, this year’s broadcaster, sold out its Super Bowl LX ad inventory early, reflecting strong demand from brands eager to reach one of the largest TV audiences of the year.

AI companies flood the airwaves

OpenAI’s reported Super Bowl return is part of a much broader advertising surge across the AI industry.

The Wall Street Journal reports that companies including OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Anthropic, and Perplexity collectively spent an estimated $333.6 million on linear TV ads in the US last year, a 43% increase from the year before, based on data from ad tracker iSpot.

Those same companies also poured an estimated $426 million into digital advertising in 2025, more than triple their 2024 spending, according to Sensor Tower estimates, The Journal reported.

Anthropic, one of OpenAI’s key rivals, has been especially visible. The company has been running TV ads for its Claude chatbot across NFL, NBA, and college sports broadcasts, spending an estimated $16.5 million on linear TV ads in 2025, according to iSpot data cited by The Journal.

Winning over a skeptical public

The goal of these ads isn’t just to show off cool tech; it’s to fix a major PR problem. 

Many Americans are still nervous about AI — a Pew Research survey found that half of US adults are more “concerned than excited” about the technology, with only 10% saying they are mostly excited.

To combat this, AI companies are changing their tone. Last year, OpenAI’s ad compared AI to the invention of the lightbulb. This year, they are expected to focus on how ChatGPT is a “relatable tool” for everyday chores.

Competition is heating up

The pressure to stay on top is real. While OpenAI boasts over 800 million weekly users, Google’s Gemini model recently beat ChatGPT on several industry benchmarks. Meanwhile, Anthropic is winning over big businesses by positioning its AI as a “thinking partner.”

As Andrew Stirk, Anthropic’s head of brand marketing, told the Wall Street Journal, their goal is to show a tool that “actively helps extend your thinking, rather than outsource your thinking.”

We’ll see how OpenAI responds when the commercial airs during NBC’s Super Bowl broadcast on Sunday, February 8.

Also read: AI predictions for 2026 suggest enterprises will demand AI prove trustworthiness as governance moves from IT teams into the boardroom.