OpenAI to compete with Microsoft & Google, plans office suite

OpenAI is developing productivity features for ChatGPT that would position the company as a competitor to Google Workspace and Microsoft Office.

The AI company is working on collaborative document editing and integrated chat capabilities, marking a strategic expansion beyond its core chatbot functionality. These new tools align with CEO Sam Altman’s vision of transforming ChatGPT into a lifelong personal assistant, including at work. This development comes at a sensitive time in OpenAI’s relationship with Microsoft.

Microsoft holds approximately 49% stake in OpenAI’s for-profit unit. The two companies are currently negotiating a restructuring of OpenAI’s for-profit operations, with both sides seeking favorable terms.

The planned features would resemble functions offered by Microsoft’s Office 365 and Google’s Workspace, two dominant software suites in business IT that have already incorporated generative AI tools into their platforms.

Beyond document collaboration, OpenAI will also be developing a broader ecosystem including a browser, an AI-powered hardware device, and a social content feed within ChatGPT. These initiatives suggest the company is seeking greater control over how users create, access, and share content online.

Enterprise customers who are currently using ChatGPT as a standalone tool, these integrated productivity applications could make the platform a more central component of company workflows. This could potentially lead businesses to reconsider their software subscription bundles that have traditionally favored Microsoft and Google.