- OpenAI acquired the domain Chat.com, which now redirects to its ChatGPT platform.
- Dharmesh Shah, HubSpot's co-founder, sold Chat.com to OpenAI, reportedly in exchange for OpenAI shares.
In a significant acquisition, OpenAI has purchased the domain Chat.com, adding it to its collection of high-profile digital assets. This morning, Chat.com began redirecting users to OpenAI’s AI-powered chatbot, ChatGPT, marking a milestone for both the domain and the company. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the acquisition in an email statement.
Chat.com, registered in September 1996, stands as one of the internet's longstanding domain names. Its history took a notable turn last year when HubSpot co-founder and CTO Dharmesh Shah acquired it for a reported $15.5 million.
This price made it one of the highest publicly reported domain sales, emphasizing the value placed on prime web addresses in today’s digital marketplace.
In March, Shah publicly announced that he had sold Chat.com to an undisclosed buyer, sparking industry speculation. Late today, Shah took to X to confirm that OpenAI was indeed the buyer, suggesting that he was compensated in OpenAI shares.
While Chat.com now redirects to ChatGPT, the domain’s ownership history implies that OpenAI isn’t shifting ChatGPT’s primary branding to Chat.com. Instead, the purchase likely enhances OpenAI's digital reach and accessibility, but a full rebrand to Chat.com is not anticipated.
The financial terms of the acquisition remain undisclosed.
Edited by Harshajit Sarmah
