OpenAI now lets brands claim and manage their own profiles inside ChatGPT

OpenAI has announced Businesses in ChatGPT, a program that lets eligible companies claim their profiles on the platform, update their information and track data on how they show up in the service. It launches as a test, with access restrictions, especially for businesses with a physical address outside the United States.

The program was described in Planeta IA, Alvaro Leme's column published by Brazilian magazine Veja on November 12. Leme compares it to what already happens on search engines and map apps, where businesses take over management of their listing. The difference, he writes, is the setting: the company appears inside a conversation in which a consumer is asking for recommendations or comparing options.

To claim a page, the owner or an authorized representative finds the business in the Business Hub, the dashboard built to manage this presence, and proves the connection. Depending on the case, verification runs through a phone number, a business email, a domain or Shopify. That is followed by an identity check, which may require personal and company documents.

Once the profile is approved, the brand manages its company details, products, prices and availability. A badge shows that the identity has been confirmed, but it does not mean OpenAI recommends or endorses the business.

What the dashboard shows

The Business Hub offers aggregated metrics on mentions, clicks and the topics tied to interactions, over a 28-day period. Companies cannot see individual prompts or users' full conversations.

For online businesses, a mention counts when there is a reference to the company's website. An answer that cites only the brand name does not necessarily show up in that metric. The dashboard also does not show everything ChatGPT says about the brand, and it does not guarantee a better position in answers.

Customer service agents and ads

OpenAI also introduced Business Agents. From a company's listing, users can open a separate conversation with an agent that represents the business and answers based on the materials and guidelines the company provides. It is a service clearly identified as tied to the brand, distinct from ChatGPT's independent answers.

For now, the agents are limited to eligible US e-commerce and online service businesses. They do not complete purchases or bookings or look up orders within the conversation; for that, they send users to the company's website.

Rolling out gradually to eligible advertisers, the agents can already serve as the destination for ads in ChatGPT, with users choosing between chatting with the brand's agent or visiting its site. Advertising is separate from claiming a profile, and OpenAI says ads do not influence ChatGPT's independent answers.

Availability outside the US: the case of Brazil

OpenAI's documentation says eligible online businesses can claim their profiles wherever ChatGPT and verification are offered, without guaranteeing access for every Brazilian company. For brick-and-mortar stores and restaurants, claiming is currently available only to businesses located in the United States.

For anyone responsible for a brand, ChatGPT joins the list of places that need monitoring, just as listings on search engines and maps already do. And there is a concrete distinction to keep in mind: giving ChatGPT official information is not the same as controlling every answer the AI gives about your company.