👩‍🍳 How we use AI at Tech in Asia, thoughtfully and responsibly.🧔‍♂️ A friendly human may check it before it goes live. More news hereOpenAI announced that ChatGPT now has 3 million paying business users, up from 2 million in February 2025.The company introduced new workplace features to boost productivity and information access.A key update is the beta release of “connectors,” which let users integrate Dropbox, Box, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Google Drive.This allows employees to pull data and insights from third-party tools directly in ChatGPT while respecting existing permission settings.OpenAI also launched deep research connectors in beta, compatible with tools like HubSpot, Linear, Microsoft, and Google apps. These help users conduct multi-step research by combining data from external tools and web sources.Another new feature is “record mode” for Team users, which records and transcribes meetings or brainstorming sessions. It generates notes, timestamped citations, and AI-driven suggestions.🔗 Source: OpenAI🧠 Food for thought1️⃣ AI adoption among businesses shows accelerating integration into core workflowsOpenAI’s growth to 3 million paying business users signals a broader enterprise AI adoption trend gaining momentum across industries.McKinsey research indicates one-third of organizations now regularly use generative AI in at least one business function, while 40% of AI-using companies plan to increase their investments due to generative AI advancements 1.The rapid business adoption follows a clear trajectory, with overall AI implementation in businesses growing from 20% in 2017 to over 80% today, highlighting the shift from experimentation to core operational integration 2.This integration trend is particularly evident in the financial services sector, which leads with over 30% AI adoption in product development, while sectors like retail are projected to reach 80% adoption by 2025 2.OpenAI’s new connectors and integrations with common business tools reflect this evolution. Organizations are moving beyond viewing AI as a standalone tool toward embedding it into their established workflows and knowledge systems.2️⃣ Small and mid-sized businesses are increasingly leveraging AI to compete with larger enterprisesThe significant growth in ChatGPT’s business user base indicates AI tools are becoming more accessible beyond just large corporations with specialized teams.Recent data shows 35% of small businesses now use AI significantly, representing a 64% increase from 2021 levels, as these tools help them compete more effectively against larger companies 3.Small businesses report substantial benefits from AI adoption, with 82% experiencing enhanced operational efficiency that directly improves their market competitiveness against larger firms 3.However, adoption barriers remain significant, with 77% of small businesses citing lack of knowledge about AI as a primary obstacle to implementation 3.OpenAI’s connector features that integrate with common tools like Google Drive and Dropbox address this knowledge gap by making AI capabilities accessible through platforms these businesses already use, reducing the technical barriers to entry.3️⃣ The competitive landscape in AI assistants is driving innovation in workplace integrationOpenAI’s rapid expansion of business-focused features comes amid increasing competition in the AI assistant market, where maintaining market leadership requires continuous innovation.ChatGPT currently holds approximately 59.8% market share with 400 million weekly users, while Google’s Gemini has captured 13.5% with 42 million daily users, illustrating the competitive dynamics driving feature development 4.The competition has accelerated workplace integration capabilities, with both Microsoft and Google heavily investing in AI features for their productivity suites, pushing OpenAI to enhance its own business offerings 5.The focus on connectors and deep research capabilities shows how AI companies are shifting from providing general assistants to creating specialized tools that address specific business workflows and knowledge management challenges.Recent OpenAI developments

SEATTLE, May 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Edge Delta, the leader in intelligent telemetry pipelines for security and observability data, today announced the appointment of Jabari Norton as Head of Channel, Partnerships & Alliances.