ChatGPT has transformed how people perceive and engage with artificial intelligence, facilitating a range of tasks from creating travel itineraries to aiding developers in coding. In a significant development, OpenAI announced on Wednesday that it has secured a major enterprise customer, signaling potential industry-wide impacts in the workplace.
PwC, the renowned management consulting firm, will become OpenAI’s largest customer to date, spanning 100,000 users. Additionally, PwC will be the first partner responsible for marketing OpenAI’s enterprise solutions to other businesses.
In August 2023, OpenAI introduced the enterprise tier of ChatGPT as part of its strategic plan to monetize its generative AI offerings, following the significant funding it has amassed. This enterprise tier provides faster, unlimited interactions and greater flexibility for developing custom models tailored to various use cases. Enhanced analytics and additional tools are also included, making it a compelling solution for businesses.
However, as with any enterprise software, OpenAI faces the challenge of convincing companies to transition from limited or pilot usage of its generative AI products to viewing it as a pivotal investment in IT and business processes.
"PwC is our first partner on this journey," said Richard Hasslacher, OpenAI's global head of alliances and partnerships, in an interview. "They not only become our largest customer but also our initial partner in reselling ChatGPT enterprise. This collaboration allows us to penetrate various industry sectors while offering a comprehensive suite of services needed for businesses to capitalize on this emerging technology."
Last month, OpenAI revealed that the enterprise tier of ChatGPT had approximately 600,000 users, encompassing 93% of Fortune 500 companies. While Hasslacher did not disclose user engagement metrics, PwC's 100,000 employees across the U.S., U.K., and the Middle East would significantly increase that count. If PwC extends ChatGPT's usage to its global operations, it could potentially involve 328,000 employees.
For PwC, this partnership signifies its belief in evolving business strategies and seizing new growth opportunities in consulting. Bret Greenstein, a partner and generative AI leader at PwC, dismissed concerns that adopting ChatGPT or generative AI assistants would threaten jobs. Instead, he suggested it could enable the consulting firm to enhance its existing workforce without the need for additional hires.
"This is crucial for us," Greenstein emphasized, noting that PwC was an early adopter of ChatGPT, making the transition to enterprise a logical step as its engagement increased.
PwC has been developing tools focused on the product, stating that as technology continues to advance, they can pivot from building to buying solutions. This change allows them to prioritize outcomes, transformation, workflows, and business processes, rather than solely focusing on integrating APIs to enhance employee experiences.
A key question surrounding generative AI is whether its popularity is merely a trend or if its usage will prove sustainable. While Greenstein refrained from disclosing specific daily usage metrics at PwC, he highlighted that the educational tools they have implemented have achieved 90% engagement.
Crucially, generative AI represents a vital avenue for consulting firms like PwC to attract new business. This strategy aligns with the broader narrative of "digital transformation," a significant theme in IT for years.
"Our clients are on a similar journey, and that’s why we are pursuing this reselling agreement," Greenstein explained.
ChatGPT’s self-service version is priced at $30 per user, while the consumer edition is $20 per user. OpenAI does not publicly disclose enterprise pricing, and neither PwC nor OpenAI provided specifics for this article. A related Reddit thread suggests a potential rate of $60 per seat per month for a commitment of 150 seats for one year. The financial implications could become substantial when scaled to 100,000 users, indicating that pricing may vary widely.
OpenAI will continue to engage with enterprises directly. However, the company is also expanding its channel strategy to enhance support. "Currently, we maintain our own customer success team to assist customers with their generative AI solutions," Hasslacher noted. "Yet, our capacity is limited, which positions our partner ecosystem as a crucial component." While PwC is presently OpenAI's primary reselling partner, "Expect to see more developments in this ecosystem soon," Hasslacher added.
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