 "Altman’s acquisition of chat.com marks a strategic move for OpenAI, streamlining the branding of ChatGPT with an eye-catching, easy-to-remember URL. Image Credit: AFP")
It seems Sam Altman has splurged millions on a new domain, securing chat.com for OpenAI’s ChatGPT. On Wednesday, Altman took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the sleek, four-letter URL, which now serves as the latest online home for the popular AI tool.
The backstory of chat.com is intriguing. Previously owned by Dharmesh Shah, HubSpot’s co-founder and CTO, the domain came with a hefty price tag. In 2023, Shah revealed on LinkedIn that he had spent an “8-figure sum” — a whopping $15.5 million — for the domain, calling it the most expensive digital purchase he’d ever made.
His motivation? A firm belief that chat-based user experiences are the future of software. He praised the domain’s brilliance, describing it as simple, short, and perfectly in tune with the growing trend of conversational interfaces.
Although Shah never intended to use chat.com for HubSpot, he did keep the door open for a potential sale. It didn’t take long for the right buyer to appear. Just a few months after his purchase, Shah announced he had sold the domain, though he kept the buyer’s identity a mystery — until Altman’s recent reveal. Shah later confirmed that OpenAI was indeed the buyer.
The details of the transaction remain fuzzy. While Shah was coy about the exact price OpenAI paid, he hinted at a creative deal structure. In a playful, ChatGPT-inspired post, he suggested he didn’t profit significantly from the sale, implying he might have accepted OpenAI shares instead of pure cash. Shah jokingly noted that he’s known Altman for a decade and doesn’t like to make money off his friends.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsInterestingly, Shah made sure to share the wealth in a more literal way. After selling chat.com, he donated $250,000 of his earnings to Khan Academy, supporting the nonprofit’s educational mission.
Altman’s acquisition of chat.com marks a strategic move for OpenAI, streamlining the branding of ChatGPT with an eye-catching, easy-to-remember URL. Meanwhile, Shah’s laid-back humour and generosity have added a refreshing twist to this high-stakes domain name saga, blending the worlds of tech innovation and philanthropy.