OpenAI launched Business Hub in beta on November 10, Tech in Asia and VentureBeat reported. OpenAI said a company can claim its listing and, after verification, edit its details and upload product feeds with prices and availability. Shopify merchants can connect a store to streamline verification. Eligible U.S. online shops and service firms can also publish a Business Agent, which answers shopper questions.
When a business appears in a ChatGPT answer, a user can click to open its profile. If it has an agent, the user can start a chat there. OpenAI said that chat is labelled and kept apart from the original conversation and from ChatGPT's own answers. OpenAI said it does not share user chats with businesses, and its figures appear only above minimum volumes. Tech in Asia reported that OpenAI did not detail verification. Vice president Benji Shomair said methods vary by business type and market.
The Decoder likened the product to Google's free business profile tool. For buyers, the verified profile and product feed become a company's way to hand ChatGPT its own details. Three questions for budget owners: who owns the profile, what does ChatGPT show about us today, and is a sponsored agent, which OpenAI said is labelled, worth paying for?