Managing multiple ad platforms can be a real headache for small businesses. Typically, adding a new channel means another login to keep track of, another dashboard to navigate, and more data that doesn't sync with the rest. But HubSpot's just rolled out an update that's designed to simplify things.
The company has integrated ChatGPT Ads directly into its CRM, meaning businesses can now build, launch and track ChatGPT ad campaigns from inside the platform they already use to manage customer relationships, rather than operating it as a separate system.
One platform, one less headache
The update builds on an existing connector between HubSpot and ChatGPT, first launched in 2025, which let businesses bring their customer data into ChatGPT to manage sales pipelines and resolve support queries. According to HubSpot, that connector is now the most widely used CRM connector for ChatGPT, with the company reporting 250 per cent growth in weekly active users since launch.
The expanded version adds more day-to-day functionality: running email campaigns, building landing pages, analysing closed deals and checking which leads are progressing, all from within ChatGPT itself, using existing HubSpot data rather than requiring it to be re-entered or exported.
Why the data connection matters
Because the new ad tools run on top of a business's existing CRM data, targeting draws on real customer context from the start, rather than starting from scratch the way a standalone ad platform would. HubSpot says this also allows a business to trace a specific closed deal back to the campaign that generated it, something that's typically difficult when ad spend and CRM data sit in separate systems.
Brian Landsman, VP of Global Partnerships at OpenAI, said the aim was to reduce the effort involved in adopting AI tools. "Putting AI to work shouldn't require businesses to rebuild the way they work. Connecting ChatGPT with the customer knowledge in HubSpot helps teams do more with what they already know, from creating a campaign to preparing for a customer conversation."
For businesses already using HubSpot's AEO tools, the update also brings paid and organic AI search performance into one place, rather than tracking them separately.
What SMEs can access now
HubSpot and OpenAI are also offering a limited-time AI Growth Bundle, giving eligible businesses HubSpot Starter and HubSpot credits at up to 65 per cent off for a year, along with a buy-one-get-one-free offer on ChatGPT Business seats for a year. Details are available on HubSpot's offer page.
Duncan Lennox, Chief Product and Technology Officer at HubSpot, framed the update as an access issue for smaller businesses specifically. "We've been working with OpenAI because we share a belief that AI shouldn't just benefit the biggest companies... we're giving every scaling business a real shot at showing up where buyers are, understanding what's working, and acting on it quickly."
Note: usage and growth figures cited are HubSpot's own reported data and have not been independently verified.