OpenAI Acquires Remote Collaboration Platform

OpenAI expands its capabilities by acquiring a leading remote collaboration platform, enhancing its tools for seamless and efficient teamwork

OpenAI is experiencing a period of rapid mergers and acquisitions.

OpenAI has acquired Multi (previously Remotion), a startup developing a video-first, enterprise-focused collaboration platform, just days after acquiring database tech firm Rocket.

A source knowledgeable about the situation has indicated that the agreement is technically an acquisition. After the transaction’s completion, most of Multi’s team, comprising approximately five individuals, will transition to OpenAI.

Alexander Embiricos, CEO of Multi and one of its co-founders, has announced that the company will cease operations after July 24, 2024.

In a post on Multi’s blog, he wrote, “We are ecstatic to announce that Multi has joined OpenAI.” “I am grateful to all those who utilized Multi.” It was an honor to collaborate with you, and we gained a wealth of knowledge from your expertise.

Embiricos, an ex-Dropbox product manager, and Charley Ho, Multi’s second co-founder, embarked on a project to develop a Zoom-based platform enabling remote teams to collaborate through video conversations.

Customizable shortcuts, automated deep links for code, designs, and documents, and the capacity to collaborate across screen shares from up to 10 individuals simultaneously were among the features that Multi provided.

Greylock and First Round Capital were among the venture capitalists from which Multi raised $13 million in cash before its exit today, as indicated by Crunchbase data.

The Multi deal appears to align with OpenAI’s more extensive recent strategy of investing significantly in enterprise solutions, as with the Rockset acquisition.

The corporate stratum of ChatGPT, a viral AI-powered chatbot platform, was recently disclosed by OpenAI to have nearly 600,000 users, including 93% of all Fortune 500 firms.

OpenAI agreed with PwC in May to resell its tools to other enterprises. The organization introduced a custom AI model refining and consulting program that was business-oriented the previous month.

According to The Information, OpenAI’s revenue is expected to surpass $3.4 billion this year, suggesting that the enterprise entreaties yield results.

In a similar vein to OpenAI’s other corporate-oriented product initiatives, is it possible that a ChatGPT that has been upgraded with videoconferencing and remote collaboration capabilities will be released in the future?

Potentially, I would not rule out the possibility of OpenAI doing so, especially as the lag time between the organization’s premier models continues to increase.