OpenAI is introducing business profiles on ChatGPT, allowing companies to verify and manage how their brands appear when users search for products and services through the AI chatbot. The company announced Tuesday that it's rolling out a Business Hub where enterprises can create profiles that closely mirror what Google and other search engines have long offered. The feature, currently in beta, marks OpenAI's latest attempt to transform ChatGPT into a consumer discovery platform after a previous e-commerce initiative collapsed earlier this year.
The Business Hub gives companies several tools to manage their presence on ChatGPT. Eligible businesses can establish verified profiles where they update details about their offerings and services, according to the announcement. Companies can also build specialized business agents that let ChatGPT users pose questions about the enterprise and what it sells. The hub includes analytics features reminiscent of Google Analytics, providing firms with insights into how ChatGPT users engage with their brands — tracking profile views, mentions of the business, clicks to websites, and additional metrics. Verification of profiles will happen through a formal process, though OpenAI hasn't disclosed specific details; Benji Shomair, the company's VP of Monetization, told reporters Monday that "multiple verification methods" exist for different business types across various markets.
"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," OpenAI stated Tuesday. The company characterized the announcement as "an early step in bringing businesses more deeply into ChatGPT." This pivot toward search-style business profiles follows a failed experiment in direct e-commerce: OpenAI previously attempted to position ChatGPT as a shopping destination where users could purchase products directly through a commission-based system, complete with a checkout cart feature, but the company retired that effort in March after it failed to gain traction.
The shift represents OpenAI's recognition that ChatGPT may be better suited as a discovery tool than a transactional marketplace. By adopting business profiles and intelligence features, the platform is positioning itself to compete with Google's longstanding role as the internet's primary gateway for consumers researching companies they want to patronize. The approach trades the potentially massive revenue of direct sales commissions for a model where businesses pay to optimize their visibility in AI-driven searches — a strategy proven successful in traditional search but untested in conversational AI. Whether this initiative delivers better results than the abandoned e-commerce push remains uncertain, as OpenAI attempts to carve out a niche in the crowded space where consumers begin their buying journeys. The company's challenge will be convincing businesses that ChatGPT represents a meaningful discovery channel worth the investment in profile management and verification, especially when Google already dominates this function and consumers haven't yet developed the habit of turning to chatbots for product research.