OpenAI launches business profiles in ChatGPT, with verification and metrics on brand mentions
Now in beta, Business Hub lets companies verify their information, build their own agent and see views, mentions and clicks coming from ChatGPT.
OpenAI launched Business Hub on Tuesday, November 10. It is a space where companies create profiles in ChatGPT to verify and update information about their products and services. The feature is in beta.
According to TechCrunch, in a story published on November 10, the format closely resembles the business profiles that Google and other search engines already offer. Eligible companies will also be able to build and launch their own agent, which answers ChatGPT users' questions about the business and its products.
In the announcement, OpenAI explained the move: “As people turn to AI to discover products, compare options and make decisions, ChatGPT has become the platform for people and businesses to connect through AI.” The company added that “today's announcement is an early step toward bringing businesses more deeply into ChatGPT.”
What companies will be able to measure
Business Hub will also provide limited data about the business, in a feature the story compares to Google Analytics. This data shows how ChatGPT users interact with a company's products: profile views, mentions of the business, website clicks and other metrics.
To get a profile, a company will have to go through a formal verification process. OpenAI did not explain how it works. Speaking with reporters on Monday, Benji Shomair, OpenAI's vice president of monetization, said there are “a number of verification methods we use for different types of businesses in different markets.”
The earlier attempt at commerce
OpenAI had already tried to turn ChatGPT into an ecommerce hub, where users would buy products directly in the conversation. The model charged a commission and was seen as a potentially huge source of revenue and a way to compete head to head with Amazon. The project never took off, and the company shut it down in March, including the shopping cart feature.
As the story reads it, with business profiles and business data, ChatGPT seems to be trying to look more like Google, which since the early days of the internet has been where people go to learn about the companies they plan to buy from. Whether this new initiative will fare better than direct commerce remains to be seen.
For anyone managing a brand, Business Hub opens an official channel to verify and update product and service information in ChatGPT. It also offers the first numbers on how users interact with the business there, such as mentions and website clicks. For now, the feature is in beta, the data is limited and OpenAI has not explained how verification works.
Key questions
What is ChatGPT Business Hub?
It is a space launched by OpenAI, still in beta, where companies create profiles to verify and update information about their products and services. Eligible companies can also build an agent that answers questions about the business.
What data will companies be able to see?
Limited data on how ChatGPT users interact with them, such as profile views, mentions of the business, website clicks and other metrics.
How does profile verification work?
It is a formal process, but OpenAI has not shared details. Benji Shomair said there are several methods, depending on the type of business and the market.
Source: TechCrunch.