OpenAI is introducing verified Business Agents inside ChatGPT that represent a brand and can assist users with tasks such as comparison shopping. The feature is available first to eligible e-commerce and online service businesses in the United States, and it is launching as part of a group of business-focused features in ChatGPT that OpenAI announced today in beta.
Users can begin a conversation with a Business Agent when a business that has created one shows up in a ChatGPT response. Once in that chat, users can ask about a company’s offerings and pose follow-up questions, including how two products differ. Businesses are able to define an agent’s instructions and supply business context so the agent knows how to respond.
OpenAI says conversations with Business Agents will be clearly labeled and kept separate from a user’s main ChatGPT conversation. To establish that an agent genuinely represents a company, businesses can claim their organization and complete verification through a feature called Business Hub. Benji Shomair, OpenAI’s VP of monetization, said during a press briefing that the company is not disclosing details of its verification methods because they vary by business.
Business Hub will also give companies access to insights, including where they are mentioned in ChatGPT responses and the top discovery topics through which their business surfaces. In a blog post, OpenAI described the launch as an early step toward bringing businesses more deeply into ChatGPT, saying it is starting with accurate business information, useful insights and conversations that help people make informed decisions.
OpenAI said it will explore additional ways for businesses to connect with customers, both directly and through agents, inside ChatGPT and beyond, as the product evolves. The company framed the goal as making ChatGPT more useful for people making decisions while giving businesses new ways to participate and grow.
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