🔍 Read the full analysis: OpenAI And Google: What Business Profiles, Odessia And Revenue Reveal on ThorstenMeyerAI.com
Get the latest gadgets delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
TL;DR
OpenAI launched a beta on Nov. 10 that lets businesses claim profiles in ChatGPT, supply product information and view aggregated discovery metrics; eligible U.S. businesses can also offer labeled AI agents. The launch coincided with founder Francis Davidson’s announcement that OpenAI acquired travel startup Odessia and reports of about $10 billion in third-quarter revenue, while a separate report put operating losses at $10.9 billion.
OpenAI launched a beta business directory and agent system inside ChatGPT on Nov. 10, giving companies a way to manage their information, product feeds and visibility metrics as the chatbot becomes a potential channel for customer discovery. The announcement coincided with Odessia founder Francis Davidson saying OpenAI acquired his AI travel startup and reports that OpenAI generated about $10 billion in third-quarter revenue; the revenue and loss figures have not been published in company financial statements.
The beta, called Businesses in ChatGPT, includes a Business Hub where companies can claim and verify profiles, update details and provide product feeds with prices and availability. OpenAI says the Hub will show aggregated measures such as mentions in ChatGPT responses, profile views, website clicks and discovery topics. Reuters, The Verge and TechCrunch reported the launch based on OpenAI’s statements. The company has not publicly detailed its verification process.
A second feature allows eligible U.S. e-commerce and online service businesses to offer Business Agents. Users can open a separate, labeled conversation with an agent to ask about a company’s offerings, while the business supplies the agent’s instructions and information. OpenAI says these exchanges are kept separate from the user’s main chat and that it does not share users’ conversations or agent chats with businesses. The company says insights are shown only after activity passes certain thresholds.
Businesses may sponsor their agents and use them as destinations for ChatGPT Ads, with sponsored placements labeled. Separately, Davidson announced the Odessia acquisition and said he was joining OpenAI; an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed his hire to TechCrunch. The terms were not disclosed. The Information reported third-quarter revenue of about $10 billion, while Bloomberg, citing a person familiar with the matter, reported growth of nearly 50% from the previous quarter. Reuters reported that the Wall Street Journal put operating losses at $10.9 billion for the same quarter.
OpenAI’s business channel inside ChatGPT
Business profiles and labeled agents put company information and sponsored discovery inside ChatGPT. The launch coincided with reports on OpenAI’s revenue and operating losses.
A new discovery channel
Businesses can manage how they appear in ChatGPT and see aggregated discovery activity.
Claim and update
Business Hub supports verified profiles, company details, and product feeds with prices and availability.
See discovery signals
OpenAI says businesses can view mentions, profile views, website clicks, and discovery topics after activity meets thresholds.
Answer customer questions
Eligible U.S. e-commerce and online service businesses can offer labeled agents with their own instructions and information.
How the business model connects
Profiles and product feeds give ChatGPT information about offerings and availability.
Users can explore company offerings through profiles and separate, labeled agent conversations.
Businesses may sponsor agents and use them as destinations for labeled ChatGPT Ads.
Revenue is not profit
The reported figures point to substantial sales alongside a large operating loss.
- The Information reported about $10 billion in third-quarter revenue.
- Bloomberg reported nearly 50% growth from the previous quarter.
- Reuters reported the Wall Street Journal’s $10.9 billion operating-loss figure.
- OpenAI has not published financial statements for these figures.
- Revenue alone cannot establish profitability.
- The full costs and comparable financial detail are not available.
Open questions for businesses and users
The beta’s reach and commercial impact are not yet established.
| Question | What is known | Still unclear |
|---|---|---|
| Verification | Existing enterprise customers and advertisers can claim through an OpenAI representative; Shopify merchants can connect through Business Hub or Shopify admin. | Eligibility rules and verification methods across business types and markets. |
| Visibility | OpenAI says ads and sponsored placements are labeled. | How profiles, agents, and sponsorship affect selection and placement. |
| Odessia | Founder Francis Davidson announced the acquisition and said he was joining OpenAI; OpenAI confirmed his hire. | Acquisition terms and the startup’s role at OpenAI. |
A New Business Channel Inside ChatGPT
The launch gives businesses a direct way to shape the information ChatGPT uses about them and to see some aggregated evidence of how users encounter them. That could make accurate hours, descriptions and product availability more consequential: incorrect details may affect what customers learn when they use the assistant to compare options.
It also creates a commercial layer around those interactions. Profiles and agents can support discovery, while sponsored agents connect that discovery to paid placements. This raises practical questions for businesses about the value of maintaining feeds and profiles, and for users about how organic recommendations differ from sponsored destinations. OpenAI says ads and sponsored placements are labeled, but the full mechanics of visibility and selection have not been described.
The reported revenue and loss figures add a separate business dimension. Revenue of roughly $10 billion would indicate substantial sales, but the reported $10.9 billion operating loss shows why revenue alone cannot establish profitability. OpenAI has not released financial statements that would let readers assess the figures in detail.
Products Worth Considering
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) Wireless Earbuds with USB‑C Charging, Up to 2X More Active Noise Cancelling, Transparency Mode, Adaptive
Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones, Sandstone
Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen), Wireless Over-Ear Noise-Cancelling Headphones, Black
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From ChatGPT Shopping to Business Profiles
OpenAI’s new tools build on earlier efforts to make ChatGPT a place to shop. TechCrunch reported that the company previously pursued direct checkout and a commission model, but retired that effort in March after it failed to gain traction. The current beta instead emphasizes business information, product data and conversations, with purchases potentially taking place through a business’s own channels.
OpenAI has also been developing advertising. The company said in August that ChatGPT Ads had reached a $1 billion annualized revenue run rate. That figure was presented by OpenAI and is not a measure of realized annual revenue. The new option for businesses to sponsor agents links the profile launch to that existing ad effort.
OpenAI described the rollout as an early step. Its announcement said the company was starting with accurate business information, useful insights and conversations intended to help people make informed decisions. Its monetization chief, Benji Shomair, told journalists that verification methods vary by business type and market. Existing enterprise customers and advertisers can claim profiles through an OpenAI representative; Shopify merchants can connect through Business Hub or Shopify’s admin tools.
Verification, Reach and Financial Detail
OpenAI has not explained how businesses qualify for verification, how profile information or product feeds affect ChatGPT answers, or how the company measures and reports activity below its stated thresholds. It has also not provided details on how sponsored agents are selected, how their placement interacts with other answers, or what commercial terms apply.
The beta is limited to eligible U.S. e-commerce and online service businesses for Business Agents; the scope and timing of any broader rollout are not known. Odessia’s acquisition terms and the travel startup’s role within OpenAI have not been disclosed. The reported revenue and loss figures come from media reports, not published financial statements, and the cited sources do not provide a full account of OpenAI’s costs or profitability.
What OpenAI May Disclose Next
OpenAI has not announced a date for moving the business tools beyond beta or expanding Business Agents to more markets and business categories. The next useful indicators will be eligibility rules, verification guidance, measurement definitions and ad-placement details, as well as whether businesses can access the tools broadly or only through existing OpenAI relationships and Shopify integrations.
Further information about Odessia’s integration and the terms of the acquisition may clarify how the startup fits into OpenAI’s products. For the financial picture, a company disclosure or additional reporting with clearer definitions and comparable periods would help distinguish revenue growth from operating performance. Until then, the launch is confirmed, while the scale and commercial impact of the new channel remain to be measured.
Key Questions
What did OpenAI launch on Nov. 10?
OpenAI began testing Businesses in ChatGPT, with a Business Hub for business profiles and product feeds, plus labeled Business Agents for eligible U.S. businesses.
What information can businesses see?
OpenAI says the Hub provides aggregated data such as mentions, profile views, website clicks and discovery topics. The company says insights appear only after activity reaches certain thresholds.
Did OpenAI acquire Odessia?
Odessia founder Francis Davidson announced the acquisition and said he was joining OpenAI. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed his hire to TechCrunch, but the acquisition terms have not been disclosed.
Is OpenAI profitable based on the reported $10 billion in revenue?
That cannot be concluded from revenue alone. The Information reported about $10 billion in third-quarter revenue; Reuters reported that the Wall Street Journal put operating losses at $10.9 billion for the same quarter. OpenAI has not published financial statements for those figures.
Source: ThorstenMeyerAI.com
