OpenAI Ads MCP connector

What agents can do

The server has 49 actions (25 read, 24 write).

• Account and structure: get_ad_account, get_campaigns, get_campaign, get_ad_groups, get_ad_group, get_ads and get_ad, including ad review status.
• Performance insights: get_ad_account_insights, get_campaign_insights, get_ad_group_insights and get_ad_insights for impressions, clicks, spend, CTR, CPC and CPM by hour, day or month.
• Conversions: get_conversion_insights for click-through and view-through conversions, get_pixels, get_conversion_events, get_event_settings, plus create_pixel, create_event_setting and send_conversion_events for server-side events.
• Campaign building: create_campaign, create_ad_group, create_ad, their update_* actions, create_bulk_job for up to 1,000 operations, get_bulk_job, upload_file for images from a URL, preview_ad and update_brand.
• Audiences: get_custom_audiences, create_custom_audience, add_custom_audience_identifiers, remove_custom_audience_identifiers, merge_custom_audiences and archive_custom_audience.
• Lead forms: get_lead_forms, create_lead_form, update_lead_form, publish_lead_form, test_lead_form_submission, archive_lead_form and lead sync subscriptions.
• Targeting and feeds: search_geo_locations and update_product_feed_items for availability and titles in a linked product feed.

See the full action list.

Before you connect

• An ad account in OpenAI Ads Manager at ads.openai.com, and permission to create an Ads API key for it.
• Each Ads API key is scoped to exactly one ad account. To connect several ad accounts, create a key for each one.
• Optional: a Conversions API key from Manage conversion keys in OpenAI Ads Manager, if agents should send server-side conversion events.
• An InsightfulPipe workspace with a brand for the account. Owners, admins and operators can add connections.

Connect OpenAI Ads

1. In OpenAI Ads Manager, open the Settings tab and generate an Ads API key for the ad account.
2. In the InsightfulPipe app, open Connectors, choose OpenAI Ads and click Connect.
3. Paste the key into Ads API Key.
4. Optionally, paste a Conversions API key into Conversions API Key (optional).
5. Click Test & Connect.

Add the MCP server to your AI client

Server URL: https://openai-ads.insightfulmcp.com/ and server name: openai-ads-mcp.

• Claude: open Claude Connectors Settings, scroll to the bottom and click Add custom connector, paste the URL, click Add, then click Connect.
• ChatGPT: in ChatGPT Security Settings turn on Developer mode, click Create on the Connectors page, paste the URL, click Create, then click Connect. Turn the connector on in each new chat with + → More.
• Claude Code: run claude mcp add --transport http openai-ads-mcp https://openai-ads.insightfulmcp.com/, then type /mcp, select openai-ads-mcp and click Authenticate.
• Cursor: in the app, open MCP Servers, choose OpenAI Ads and click Install OpenAI Ads MCP, click Open Cursor then Install, then click Connect and Open.
• Gemini CLI: run gemini mcp add --transport http openai-ads-mcp https://openai-ads.insightfulmcp.com/, then /mcp auth openai-ads-mcp.
• Codex CLI: run codex mcp add openai-ads-mcp --url https://openai-ads.insightfulmcp.com/; authorization starts automatically.

Each client opens a browser window where you log in to InsightfulPipe and click Authorize access. Step-by-step guides: Claude, ChatGPT, Claude Code, Cursor, Gemini CLI and Codex CLI. To reach every connected platform through one server, use the unified server.

Permissions and safety

• OpenAI Ads connections use an API key and have no Read Only option, so every non-destructive write action is on for a new connection. Turn off the actions agents should not use in Configure actions for this account.
• create_campaign, create_ad_group and create_ad always create paused items, and create operations inside create_bulk_job are forced to paused too.
• Updates are live: update_campaign, update_ad_group, update_ad and update operations in bulk jobs can set status active, which starts spending, or archived, which is a permanent delete. These are regular write actions.
• archive_custom_audience, archive_lead_form and remove_custom_audience_identifiers are destructive, so they stay off until an owner, admin or operator enables them.
• preview_ad is classified as a write, so it follows the same role and action rules as other writes.
• Write actions need the Owner, Administrator or Operator role. Members with the User role only get the enabled read actions on ad accounts granted to them.

Limits

• Each connection is one ad account, because each Ads API key covers one account.
• A campaign's bidding type and conversion event settings can't be changed after it is created.
• Images are uploaded from a public URL. Product feeds and full catalogs are created in OpenAI Ads Manager, not over MCP.
• send_conversion_events needs a Conversions API key on the connection.
• Ad preview links expire after 24 hours.
• Segment breakdowns depend on what OpenAI enables for your ad account.

Example prompts

• "Using OpenAI Ads, show impressions, clicks, spend and CTR by campaign for last week."
• "Which ads are still in review or were rejected?"
• "Compare click-through and view-through conversions by campaign this month."
• "Create a paused campaign targeting the United States with a $500 lifetime budget."

Troubleshooting

• "This connection has no Conversions API key.": issue a key in OpenAI Ads Manager under Manage conversion keys, then reconnect the account and add it in the optional Conversions API key field.
• Test & Connect fails: generate a new Ads API key in the Settings tab of OpenAI Ads Manager for the ad account you want, and paste it into Ads API Key.
• "This action is disabled for this connected account. An owner or admin must enable it for the account.": an owner, admin or operator can enable it in Configure actions for this account.
• "Your role does not have permission to execute write actions. Only operators, admins, and owners can execute write operations.": ask a workspace admin for the Operator role or higher.

FAQ

Will a campaign an agent creates start spending right away?

No. New campaigns, ad groups and ads are created paused, including bulk creates. They only start spending when someone sets them active, for example through an update action.

Can I connect more than one OpenAI Ads account?

Yes. Each Ads API key covers one ad account, so connect each account with its own key. Each connected ad account counts as one connection on your plan.

Is this an official OpenAI product?

No. InsightfulPipe is an independent, hosted MCP server that uses the OpenAI Ads Advertiser API with your API key.

Related

• OpenAI Ads MCP server
• Connectors overview
• Google Ads connector
• Facebook Ads connector
• Roles and permissions
• MCP troubleshooting