OpenAI recently acquired the Chat.com domain, one of the oldest and most prestigious domain names on the web, first registered in September 1996. Since this morning, any visit to Chat.com redirects directly to ChatGPT, the flagship chatbot of OpenAI, strengthening the accessibility and visibility of its flagship tool for the general public and professionals.
A strategic acquisition confirmed by the former owner
This acquisition did not go unnoticed. Until recently, Chat.com was owned by Dharmesh Shah, co-founder and CTO of HubSpot, who purchased the domain for a record $15.5 million. The transaction was classified as one of the two largest domain sales ever made public. Last March, Shah announced the sale of Chat.com to an anonymous buyer, and has just revealed that the buyer was none other than OpenAI. A message posted last night on
No rebranding, but a redirection of impact
It should be noted that Chat.com does not replace the main ChatGPT site, but acts as an additional gateway to the service, optimizing OpenAI’s online presence without implying an overall rebranding. OpenAI, although confirming the acquisition, refused to reveal the amount paid for this transaction.
In brief
For OpenAI, this acquisition seems above all a strategic move, intended to capitalize on the accessibility and appeal of a simple and direct domain name to increase the use of ChatGPT. The investment in such a valuable area also highlights the company’s commitment to establishing a compelling presence in the artificial intelligence sector.
