OpenAI opened a beta Nov. 10 that lets eligible businesses manage profiles in ChatGPT and offer Business Agents to customers, on a platform the company says has 1.2 billion weekly users.
The Business Hub lets eligible companies claim and verify profiles, revise company details and submit product feeds with prices and availability. Businesses can apply in markets where ChatGPT operates. Shopify merchants can connect through Business Hub or Shopify’s administration tools. OpenAI said existing Enterprise customers and advertisers can contact an OpenAI representative about access.
Customers can ask Business Agents about a company’s products or services and follow up based on information the business supplies. At launch, access is restricted to eligible U.S. firms in e-commerce and online services. OpenAI says these sessions carry a label and remain distinct from customers’ regular ChatGPT chats and the service’s independent replies.
The dashboard summarizes how companies are discovered in ChatGPT, including mentions, website clicks and recurring topics. OpenAI says it displays the data only after activity reaches set thresholds. Companies do not receive customers’ individual conversations or their exchanges with Business Agents, the company says.
Businesses can make an agent the destination for a ChatGPT Ad. OpenAI says the placement will be labeled and kept apart from ChatGPT’s answers. The company says claiming a profile does not influence its independent recommendations or guarantee better placement or sales.
Digiday reported that Business Hub and Business Agents were free at launch. The outlet also reported that Benji Shomair, OpenAI’s vice president of monetization, did not rule out a paid model later. OpenAI has not announced pricing.
OpenAI plans to extend the products to more markets and business categories but has not set a timeline.
