OpenAI launched Businesses in ChatGPT in beta, giving companies tools to claim listings and deploy AI agents, starting with Shopify merchants and existing Enterprise customers.
TL;DR
- OpenAI's new Businesses in ChatGPT beta lets companies claim listings and deploy AI agents to engage users, starting with Shopify merchants and existing Enterprise customers.
- The move targets enterprise trust gaps compared to Anthropic, which is preparing for the largest startup IPO ever next week.
- Competes directly with Google Business Profile and Salesforce's Agentforce, aiming to embed OpenAI deeper into business workflows.
What happened
OpenAI introduced Businesses in ChatGPT in beta on Tuesday, a suite of tools designed to help companies connect with users of its popular chatbot.
The Business Hub feature lets companies claim and manage their listings on ChatGPT, while Business Agent enables automated responses to user queries about their products or services.
Existing OpenAI Enterprise customers and advertisers can work with OpenAI representatives to claim their business, and Shopify merchants can now connect their stores to the platform.
The release positions ChatGPT as a direct competitor to Google Business Profile and enterprise AI tools from Salesforce and SAP, which offer similar agent-based solutions.
Why it matters
For developers and startups, Businesses in ChatGPT signals OpenAI's push to embed its platform deeper into enterprise workflows, potentially reducing reliance on third-party integrations.
The move is a strategic response to enterprise skepticism about OpenAI's trustworthiness compared to Anthropic, which is poised for a record-breaking IPO next week.
Analysts note that while Businesses in ChatGPT may ease integration concerns for some enterprises, lingering privacy and data usage questions could slow adoption.
The competition with Google Business Profile and Salesforce's Agentforce highlights OpenAI's ambition to capture a share of the enterprise AI agent market, currently dominated by SaaS incumbents.
Key facts
- Businesses in ChatGPT launched in beta on Tuesday, per OpenAI's announcement.
- The Business Hub feature lets companies claim and manage their ChatGPT listings, while Business Agent handles automated customer interactions.
- Shopify merchants and existing OpenAI Enterprise customers can connect their businesses to the platform, according to OpenAI.
- The product competes directly with Google Business Profile and Salesforce's Agentforce Shopper Agent, per analyst commentary.
- Anthropic is preparing for what is expected to be the largest startup IPO ever next week, per TechTarget reporting.
- Analyst Lian Jye Su of Omdia said OpenAI's vertical-specific solutions could reassure enterprises about deploying its tools.
- Concerns about privacy and data usage remain a hurdle for OpenAI's enterprise trust strategy, per the analyst.
- OpenAI's Businesses in ChatGPT aims to embed ChatGPT deeper into business workflows, per the company's description.
Context
OpenAI has faced challenges retaining enterprise customers compared to Anthropic, which has gained traction with its Claude models and enterprise-focused offerings.
Enterprise AI adoption is accelerating, with companies increasingly deploying AI agents for customer service, sales, and operations, creating a competitive battleground for platforms like OpenAI, Google, and Salesforce.
The release of Businesses in ChatGPT reflects a broader trend of AI vendors expanding beyond chatbots to offer vertical-specific tools that integrate directly into business processes.
