OpenAI launches ChatGPT programme for small businesses

OpenAI has launched a ChatGPT programme for small businesses, centred on using ChatGPT Work for day-to-day tasks.

The programme combines virtual training, in-person instruction in the US, starter guides and integrations with software partners including Dropbox, Shopify, Intuit, Slack, Atlassian and Wix.

It is aimed at entrepreneurs and smaller firms that often operate with limited staff and resources, with owners covering multiple functions from sales and marketing to accounting and operations. OpenAI is positioning the effort around practical use of its tools in routine workflows rather than bespoke deployments.

The training includes webinars on product use, demonstrations based on small business scenarios, testable prompts, and workflow examples in areas such as accounting, marketing and eCommerce. Partner webinars and question-and-answer sessions will also form part of the programme.

A second strand consists of in-person AI academies held across the US through OpenAI Academy. These sessions are designed to bring together local business owners for guided instruction and practical exercises.

OpenAI cited results from its earlier Small Business AI Jams, saying 78% of participants built a functional AI workflow in a single day and 42% saved more than five hours a week with AI support. It plans to use that model again in the new programme.

Workflows

OpenAI is also adding guides to help smaller firms start using ChatGPT Work more quickly. These include customer stories, interactive guides that can be uploaded into ChatGPT Work, and short-form videos with prompts and examples.

OpenAI recently introduced ChatGPT Work as an agent designed to complete multi-step tasks and support more complex projects from start to finish. In the small business programme, it is being presented as a tool that can connect with company files, software applications and stored context about how a user writes and works.

Examples outlined by OpenAI include converting a voice note into a Slack message for several channels, creating a live-updating site that tracks market mentions and competitor performance, and analysing customer reviews from multiple locations to help produce staff training material.

The programme also includes what OpenAI describes as new agents and partner tools for common small business workflows. Alongside integrations and skills tied to existing software, some users will be offered promotions linked to partner products.

Model access

ChatGPT Work is available to small businesses now and runs on GPT-5.6, which OpenAI described as its most advanced model available to business users across subscription plans. Businesses can choose different levels of model intelligence depending on the balance they want between quality, speed and cost.

The launch reflects increasing competition among AI providers to win smaller corporate customers, a market between individual consumer use and large enterprise contracts. For many software groups, small businesses represent a broad customer base that may adopt AI tools in standard functions such as drafting, analysis, customer communication and internal administration.

OpenAI is seeking feedback through webinar discussions, local events and surveys, saying responses will influence future product development and resources for smaller companies. That suggests it is still shaping how its products fit the operational needs of firms with lean teams and limited budgets.

One customer account in the launch material came from Marina Petrova, CEO and Co-Founder of Intentful.ai. "ChatGPT has been so much more than a way to get work done faster. It has strengthened the way I think-not by telling me what to do, but by helping me unlock ideas I never thought possible. I'm now experimenting with ChatGPT Work, with ambitious goals for breaking the limits of what's possible when scaling a startup. It's not only what can be done faster; it's what can be done that wasn't imaginable before," Petrova said.