OpenAI has launched a new Business Hub allowing companies to create verified profiles and specialised agents within ChatGPT.
The feature, currently in beta, lets enterprises update information about their products and services. It mirrors the profile systems already used by Google and other search engines.
Eligible businesses can also deploy dedicated agents. These allow users to query the business and its offerings directly inside the chat interface.
OpenAI stated that as people use AI to discover products and compare options, the platform has become a key connection point between consumers and companies. The company described this announcement as an early step in integrating businesses more deeply into ChatGPT.
Similar to Google Analytics, the Business Hub provides limited insights into how users interact with a business. Metrics include profile views, mentions of the business, website clicks, and other data points.
Profiles require verification through a formal process. Specifics on this process have not been disclosed. Benji Shomair, vice-president of Monetization, told journalists on Monday that the company uses multiple verification methods for different businesses across different markets.
This marks a shift from OpenAI’s earlier attempt to turn ChatGPT into an e-commerce hub. That project relied on a commission fee system and included a checkout cart feature. It failed to gain traction and was retired in March.
By adding business profiles and intelligence, ChatGPT is attempting to function more like Google. Google has long been the primary destination for web users seeking information about companies they wish to buy from. It remains to be seen whether this new direction yields better results than the direct e-commerce experiment.
