OpenAI has acquired the highly sought-after domain name Chat.com, a move that seems like a natural fit for the company behind ChatGPT. TechCrunch reports that the domain, which was previously purchased for over $15 million, is now in the hands of OpenAI.
According to the domain history website who.is, the domain was first registered in September 1996. Before OpenAI’s acquisition, Chat.com changed ownership in 2023 when HubSpot co-founder and CTO Dharmesh Shah bought it for $15.5 million. This acquisition was likely driven by Shah’s anticipation of the growing AI chatbot market and the domain’s potential value, making it one of the top two publicly reported domain sales at the time.
While OpenAI has not disclosed the exact amount paid for Chat.com, the company confirmed the purchase to TechCrunch. However, it appears that this acquisition is not part of a rebranding effort for ChatGPT. Currently, the domain simply redirects to OpenAI’s popular chatbot platform.