OpenAI, the creator of the ChatGPT chatbot, recently acquired the chat.com domain for a reported $15.5 million. One of the oldest domain names on the internet, chat.com was first registered in September 1996. In early 2023, Dharmesh Shah, CTO of HubSpot, purchased the domain for $10 million before reselling it to OpenAI. The acquisition became public after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted a link to the domain on Twitter, sparking interest and speculation about the company’s intentions.
Background and Previous Ownership
Before OpenAI’s acquisition, chat.com was owned by Dharmesh Shah, the founder of the software development company HubSpot. Shah bought the domain in early 2023, explaining that he saw chat-based interfaces as the future of software. He described chat as a more intuitive and natural way to communicate with computers, highlighting his vision for the domain in a LinkedIn post. A few months after acquiring it, Shah sold chat.com, confirming he made a profit but not disclosing the buyer or exact sale price at the time. According to NameBio, a database that tracks domain sales, the domain changed hands for $15.5 million in March 2023, aligning with Shah’s May announcement of the sale. Neither Shah nor OpenAI commented on the specifics of the deal.
Rebranding Efforts and Industry Trends
The acquisition appears to be part of OpenAI’s ongoing rebranding efforts, adds NIXSolutions. In September, OpenAI introduced a new series of reasoning models under the name “o1,” signaling a shift toward simplified product names. Though the chat.com domain now redirects users to the ChatGPT website, OpenAI has not renamed its flagship product. As domain acquisitions by tech companies become more frequent, OpenAI’s purchase mirrors similar trends, such as Friend’s recent acquisition of friend.com for $1.8 million after raising $2.5 million in funding. In comparison, OpenAI’s recent fundraising rounds totaling $6.6 billion place the chat.com purchase in a different league of investment.
We’ll keep you updated on OpenAI’s evolving strategy and any upcoming announcements regarding the chat.com domain’s role in their product ecosystem.