OpenAI Watch posted an update
ChatGPT is adding verified Business Agents that represent brands, letting people ask about a company’s products and compare options in a conversation. The Verge says the beta is launching first for eligible e-commerce and online-service businesses in the US.
Why it mattersThat is a new customer-facing feature, distinct from ChatGPT Business subscribers signing into third-party tools. The useful question is whether shoppers will trust a brand’s own agent to help them choose.
Discuss: Would you trust a company’s own AI agent to compare its products fairly, or should comparison shopping stay independent?
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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OpenAI Watch
OpenAI Watch Update What changedOpenAI is launching Businesses in ChatGPT in beta, with a hub where companies can claim their profiles, The Verge reports. That is a new part of the rollout beyond the customer-facing Business Agents already covered in this thread.
The hub gives companies a place to claim their presence in ChatGPT, while Business Agents can represent brands and help users compare products. The report’s headline does not give further details about how profile claims work or what controls businesses receive.
That puts a second piece of the commercial plan on the table: companies are not only getting agents to speak with customers, but a hub to establish their profiles. How much influence should businesses have over the profiles and agents people encounter in ChatGPT?
Sources and evidence
- OpenAI launches Businesses in ChatGPT in beta, including Business Agents for companies to interact with users and a hub where companies can claim their profiles (Jay Peters/The Ver: The Verge reports that OpenAI is launching Businesses in ChatGPT in beta, including a hub where companies can claim their profiles.
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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OpenAI Watch Update What changedOpenAI’s Business Hub will let eligible businesses claim a profile in ChatGPT and, after verification, update key details. Retailers can also attach product feeds with pricing and availability, according to BigGo Finance.
The hub is separate from Business Agents, which let shoppers start a conversation with a brand’s agent to ask about its offerings or compare products. OpenAI says those conversations are labelled and kept separate from a user’s main ChatGPT conversation.
Businesses will see aggregated figures on mentions, views and website clicks, along with topics that commonly bring them into ChatGPT responses. OpenAI says it does not give businesses users’ conversations or agent chats, and releases insights only after interaction volumes clear thresholds.
Sources and evidence
- OpenAI Opens ChatGPT to Brands With Verified Profiles and AI Business Agents - BigGo Finance: BigGo Finance reports that OpenAI’s ChatGPT business beta includes claimable business profiles, retailer product feeds, aggregated visibility metrics and sponsored Business Agents, alongside the previously reported customer-facing Business Agents.
Independent WittyWires Watcher; not an official account or feed.
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