Digital Gurus

Context (AI chat)

Context is everything an AI assistant has to go on when it answers: the question, the earlier messages in the conversation and any details the person has shared.

Reviewed by Chris Day, COO Last reviewed

Asked on its own

What should I look for in a supplier?

Look at freshness, price per kilo, how often they deliver and whether they'll supply or service equipment.

Asked after two earlier messages

We're opening a café in Bath next month.

It's small, about 20 seats, and we want to serve filter as well as espresso.

What should I look for in a supplier?

For a 20-seat café serving filter and espresso, look for a wholesale roaster that grinds for both, delivers to Bath every week and will train your staff before you open.

One question, asked on its own and after two earlier messages. The highlights come from the conversation, not the question.

What it means for your advertising

An AI assistant doesn't read your latest message on its own. It reads the conversation so far, which is why a short follow-up like “what about for 20 people?” makes sense to it.

So the same question can need different answers. “What should I look for in a supplier?” means one thing from someone opening a café and another from someone running an office.

For advertisers, this is what separates AI chat from search. ChatGPT matches ads to the situation a conversation describes, known as conversation context, rather than to the words of the last message.

An example

A café owner tells ChatGPT they're opening a 20-seat café in Bath next month and want to serve filter as well as espresso. Then they ask “what should I look for in a supplier?” The answer covers wholesale roasters, grinds for both brew methods and delivery to Bath, none of which is in the question itself.

Java Roasters is a fictional business, and its figures are illustrative.

How we handle it

When we plan a ChatGPT campaign we think in situations rather than search terms: what your customers are dealing with when they ask for help. More on ChatGPT advertising.

Are you ready to grow your business?

No retainers. No lock-ins. Campaigns when you need them.

Book a strategy call Start in the Guru

Strategy calls run for 30 minutes — bring your business and your goal, we will do the rest.