OpenAI is taking another step toward turning ChatGPT into a full-fledged search engine for consumers. On Tuesday, the developers announced the launch of the beta version of Business Hub — a special platform that will allow companies to manage their presence within the neural network, similar to business profiles in Google.
Thanks to the new tool, businesses can verify their brand and independently update current information about their products and services.
Key capabilities of Business Hub
Companies that meet the requirements will be able to launch specialized bots. ChatGPT users will be able to ask them direct questions about products, services, or the company's operating conditions, writes TechCrunch.
By analogy with Google Analytics, the hub will provide access to statistics on user interactions with the brand. Entrepreneurs will see the number of profile views, business mentions in queries, clicks to the website, and other metrics.
To create a profile, companies will have to go through a verification procedure. As noted by OpenAI Vice President of Monetization Benji Shomair, separate verification methods will be used for different types of businesses and markets.
"As people increasingly turn to AI to find products, compare options, and make decisions, ChatGPT has become a platform for connection between users and businesses," OpenAI notes.
Strategy shift: from e-commerce to search giant
This is not OpenAI's first attempt to enter the online commerce market. Previously, the company tried to turn ChatGPT into a direct analog of Amazon by adding the ability to buy products directly through the chatbot (including using a "cart" and a commission system). However, this project did not meet expectations and was finally closed in March.
Now OpenAI is changing focus: instead of a direct marketplace, the company is betting on the Google model, becoming the main information intermediary between the buyer and the business.
Whether the new initiative will be more successful than the previous one — time will tell, but it is already obvious that ChatGPT is trying to push traditional search engines aside in the area of consumer queries.