OpenAI acquires AI recommendation start-up Crossing Minds
What's the story
OpenAI has welcomed the team from Crossing Minds, a start-up that specializes in AI recommendation systems for e-commerce businesses. The announcement was made on Thursday by Crossing Minds. According to Crunchbase, the company had previously raised over $13.5 million in funding from investors including Index Ventures, Shopify, Plug and Play, and Radical Ventures.
Business model
Focus on AI-driven recommendations for e-commerce
Crossing Minds primarily worked with e-commerce companies to enhance their personalization and recommendation systems. The company claims to analyze customers' on-site behavior data for insights into their shopping preferences, all while maintaining complete privacy. This unique approach has made them a trusted partner for many leading brands in the industry.
Team transition
Crossing Minds team joins OpenAI
The team of Crossing Minds will be joining OpenAI, as confirmed by the start-up's co-founders in a blog post on their website. They said, "Joining OpenAI allows us to bring our work and our values into a mission we deeply respect: to ensure artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity." One of the co-founders, Alexandre Robicquet, has already updated his LinkedIn bio to reflect this transition.
Business halt
No longer accepting new clients
Following the announcement that the team from Crossing Minds is joining OpenAI, Crossing Minds has announced that it will not be taking up any more clients. The company's website now says, "Crossing Minds is no longer accepting new clients." Previously, the company had worked with brands like Intuit, Anthropic, Udacity, and Chanel.
Scenario
AI firms launch tools to upgrade shopping experiences
AI companies are rolling out a wide range of tools to enhance the shopping experience. Google and Perplexity have introduced AI-powered recommendation features, while startups like Daydream have secured major funding to develop AI-driven shopping assistants. Earlier this year, OpenAI enhanced ChatGPT with the ability to offer recommendations, images, and reviews for products users inquire about.