Criteo CEO Says Ads Could Help AI Platforms Reach Profitability: Report

Many artificial intelligence (AI) platforms are likely to adopt advertising as they seek sustainable revenue models to cover the high costs of developing and operating AI systems, AFP reported Wednesday, citing Michael Komasinski, CEO of Nasdaq-listed advertising technology company Criteo.AI advertising expansionKomasinski described advertising as the most scalable business model in the world, noting that it has paid for most of the large platforms, including Google, Meta, and Snapchat.AI advertising formats are also likely to become more innovative and better integrated into conversational experiences, he said on the sidelines of the Web Summit in Lisbon.The shift comes as AI companies face pressure to turn substantial investments in computing infrastructure and model development into revenue.Although investor enthusiasm has driven gains in AI-related stocks this year, concerns about inflation, high interest rates, and the cost of developing the technology have made profitability a growing focus, according to the report.OpenAI began testing advertisements in ChatGPT in the US in February, initially targeting users on free and lower-cost subscriptions. OpenAI has since started expanding the offering internationally in partnership with Criteo.Criteo became OpenAI's first advertising technology partner in March 2026, and the service is now available in 89 countries.About 3,600 brands have tested AI advertising campaigns and reported a modest increase in their spending on ChatGPT, Komasinski said.Limits of AI agentsKomasinski was less convinced that AI agents would soon make purchases independently on behalf of consumers. He said users may be comfortable delegating routine, low-value purchases but are less likely to hand over decisions involving more important items.“It's actually really easy to order unimportant things, and things that are very important you would tend to not delegate to a bot,” he said.Quarterly resultsThird-quarter 2026 results released by Criteo on November 4 showed media spend of $1.2 billion, up 9% year over year at constant currency.Criteo reported revenue of $416 million, down 11%, and net income of $6 million, compared with $40 million in the same period last year.Beyond ChatGPTOther technology companies are also exploring advertising as a revenue stream.Microsoft has included ads in the public version of Copilot since 2023, while Perplexity began experimenting with advertising in the US in 2024.Google is also reportedly considering ads in its Gemini AI platform.Anthropic, however, has said it does not intend to introduce advertising in its AI tools, citing data protection and user interests.