OpenAI revealed on Monday the latest development since the introduction of ChatGPT: the unveiling of ChatGPT Enterprise, a business-grade version of the AI chatbot available immediately.
This business-centric tool, which took less than a year to develop, was fostered with input from over 20 diverse companies. OpenAI's COO, Brad Lightcap, has stated that ChatGPT Enterprise offers access to the GPT-4 model without limitations, performs up to twice as efficiently as its predecessors, and comes with API credits. However, pricing details remain undisclosed, with variations depending on company size and requirements. Notable beta testers include Block, Canva, and The Estée Lauder Cos.
Earlier in the year, Microsoft invested an additional $10 billion in OpenAI, marking it as the year's most significant AI investment. By April, OpenAI secured a valuation between $27 billion-$29 billion, having received investments from giants like Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz. Remarkably, ChatGPT, within just two months of its November launch, boasted 100 million active users monthly, setting a record pace.
Brad Lightcap also highlighted that a majority of Fortune 500 companies have teams actively engaged with ChatGPT.
What sets ChatGPT Enterprise apart from its consumer counterpart is its capacity to integrate company-specific data for training and customization, although some functionalities will only be introduced later. OpenAI also hinted at a forthcoming ChatGPT Business edition for smaller teams but remained tight-lipped about its release.
OpenAI's focus on launching the enterprise tier first allows them a closer engagement with teams to fine-tune the deployment process, Lightcap mentioned.
In a related blog post, OpenAI ensured users that it doesn't harness their business data for training, and their data remains encrypted during both transit and storage. Nevertheless, they do collect aggregate usage data, as is common practice.
The unveiling of ChatGPT Enterprise mirrors the intense competition in the AI chatbot arena, with tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI vying for supremacy. OpenAI recently launched mobile applications for both iOS and Android. Concurrently, Google and Microsoft are frequently updating their respective chatbots, with newcomers like Anthropic introducing their offerings.
The cost of running large-scale models like ChatGPT can be hefty. CEO Sam Altman hinted that facilitating chats could cost OpenAI millions every month.
One of the most challenging aspects of developing ChatGPT Enterprise, according to Lightcap, was deciding which features to prioritize. For instance, a feature initially termed Code Interpreter was rebranded as Advanced Data Analysis. Its importance for ChatGPT Enterprise was debated internally, but feedback from businesses accelerated its integration.
OpenAI's goal, as stated in their blog, is to integrate as many enterprises as possible in the coming weeks.