The company behind ChatGPT secures one of the most coveted domains on the internet as part of its global expansion strategy.
OpenAI has taken a significant step in its digital strategy by acquiring the domain Chat.com, which now directly redirects to the ChatGPT page. This acquisition is considered one of the largest domain purchases in history, with an estimated value of over 15 million dollars. The transaction was made with Dharmesh Shah, founder of HubSpot, who had acquired the domain in March 2023 for a similar amount.
Two months after the original purchase, Shah announced the sale of the domain to an unidentified buyer and donated $250,000 of the proceeds to Khan Academy. A year later, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, officially confirmed that the company acquired the domain Chat.com, thereby reinforcing its presence in the market and simplifying user connection to ChatGPT.
Dharmesh Shah has noted that part of the transaction includes shares in OpenAI, making it an attractive deal, especially considering the explosive growth of the company. With a recent funding injection of 6.6 billion dollars, OpenAI’s investment in the domain could signal a shift in strategy, possibly moving away from the “GPT” era towards a broader and more accessible approach.
The value of a good domain in the digital age
David Carrero, co-founder of Stackscale (Grupo Aire) and a domain expert since the ’90s, emphasizes the importance of securing top-level domains (.com, .net, .es, among others), especially for large-scale companies like OpenAI. “The movement in top-level domains is critical for the web ecosystem, and it continues to demonstrate the strategic value of having a good domain, something that is increasingly difficult to achieve,” Carrero comments. “A short, clear, and memorable domain like Chat.com has enormous potential to attract and retain users on global platforms.”
Carrero, who maintains an extensive portfolio of high-value domains such as face.co, messenger.es, sitio.net, redip.com, and entrenador.com, adds that these names not only simplify access for users but also position brands strongly in the minds of consumers and on search engines.
A step towards the future of artificial intelligence
The rebranding to “Chat” instead of “ChatGPT” could indicate that OpenAI is preparing for a future where advanced reasoning models or “style o1” surpass the current versions of GPT. With Chat.com, OpenAI aims to give new momentum to its AI platform, enabling easier access and enhancing the user experience.
With this acquisition, OpenAI not only secures a strategic domain but also sends a clear message about its commitment to developing accessible technologies and its role in leading artificial intelligence globally.
Source: Artificial Intelligence News