OpenAI has officially acquired the Chat.com domain name from Dharmesh Shah, co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of HubSpot, through a stock exchange agreement rather than a cash transaction. This information was confirmed by TechCrunch and marks a significant development in the landscape of AI-driven communication.
The domain Chat.com now redirects to the ChatGPT website, reflecting OpenAI’s commitment to enhancing its brand and expanding its service offerings in artificial intelligence. Previously, Shah purchased the domain for $15.5 million last year and opted to receive shares in OpenAI as part of the sale, although the specific value of the stock agreement has not been disclosed.
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, made a brief announcement on platform X, simply stating “Chat.com,” which served to confirm the acquisition. This move aligns with OpenAI’s larger strategy of developing innovative AI products and improving user engagement, with ChatGPT being central to this initiative.
Chat.com is noteworthy for being one of the oldest registered domain names, established in September 1996. Last March, Shah hinted at the sale to an unnamed buyer, leading to speculation about the identity of the buyer until OpenAI’s ownership was confirmed.
Shah’s motivation behind acquiring the Chat.com domain stemmed from his belief in the potential of a chat-based user experience, or #ChatUX. He posits that interacting with software through natural language interfaces could emerge as a significant trend in the tech industry. The advancement of generative artificial intelligence has begun to actualize this vision, allowing users to communicate with systems more intuitively.
The acquisition of Chat.com is part of OpenAI’s branding strategy aimed at increasing user awareness and interaction with its AI products. The company is currently working on new models under the name “o1” and aims to broaden the functionality of its offerings beyond traditional chatbot capabilities by simplifying the domain name from “ChatGPT” to “Chat.com.” As chat-based interactive technologies continue to gain traction, this strategic decision positions OpenAI to better engage with its user base.