OpenAI has introduced a new platform for businesses to connect with its vast user base of 1.2 billion people, who utilize the service on a weekly basis. As of 10 November 2026, the company has launched the beta version of “Businesses in ChatGPT,” allowing companies to create and manage their profiles within the app.
Business Agents and Sponsored Placements
In addition to static profiles, OpenAI has introduced “Business Agents,” which are AI-powered assistants that eligible companies can develop to directly answer customer inquiries within ChatGPT. These conversations are clearly labeled and separated from general chats. Businesses also have the option to sponsor their Business Agents, allowing them to serve as destinations for ChatGPT Ads, although sponsorship does not guarantee a higher ranking in the platform’s independent search results.
OpenAI views this rollout as an initial step in integrating businesses more deeply into the AI experience. The company has stated that it will not share user conversations, including those with Business Agents, with the businesses involved, and that visibility insights will only be provided once interactions meet a certain privacy threshold.
However, Business Agents are currently limited to ecommerce and online service companies based in the United States.
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Preparing for AI Search Visibility
Claiming a profile is only the first step in being discovered. The visibility of a business in ChatGPT’s everyday, unsponsored answers relies heavily on external signals. A business’s Google Business Profile and Bing Places are among the most heavily utilized sources that ChatGPT draws upon, given that Microsoft’s Bing underpins a significant portion of ChatGPT’s web search layer. Consistency across these listings, as well as directories and review platforms, provides ChatGPT with a stronger foundation for including a business in its answers, particularly when the business’s name, address, and phone number are consistently represented.
The launch of Businesses in ChatGPT coincides with an ongoing national effort in Australia to promote the adoption of AI among small businesses. The Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) has been urging the government to provide more support, warning that the gap between small and large businesses may widen without it. The federal government has already made several resources available, including the National AI Centre’s Guidance for AI Adoption on business.gov.au and guidance on using cloud-based AI tools like ChatGPT safely on Cyber.gov.au. AdoptAI, under ai.gov.au, works with various organizations to provide small and medium businesses with a vendor-neutral pathway to AI adoption.
What’s Available Right Now
Sponsored Business Agent placements, run through ChatGPT Ads, will be clearly labeled and kept separate from ChatGPT’s regular, unsponsored responses, with sponsorship not guaranteeing higher placement in ChatGPT’s independent answers.
How to Claim a Profile
To claim a profile, businesses must first confirm that they operate in a market where ChatGPT is available. Once verified, businesses can update their details to ensure accuracy and currency. Eligible businesses can also build and test their Business Agents before launching them to answer customer questions, with the option to sponsor their agents through ChatGPT Ads.
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