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OpenAI is building more than just smarter chatbots — it’s quietly assembling the future of hyper-personalized AI. In a strategic move that signals growing ambition beyond large language models, OpenAI has absorbed the core team of Crossing Minds, a startup known for advanced recommendation systems that prioritize user privacy.
A Strategic Team-Up for the Future of AI
Crossing Minds, a startup specializing in privacy-conscious AI recommendation systems for e-commerce, has officially announced that its core team is joining OpenAI. The announcement, made via a post on the company’s website, was filled with optimism. Although the exact number of personnel moving hasn’t been disclosed, co-founder Alexandre Robicquet’s updated LinkedIn profile now lists him as working in “Research, Post-training and Agents” at OpenAI — a clear signal of integration at a deep technical level.
The Crossing Minds team emphasized the alignment of values and mission, stating that joining OpenAI enables them to contribute to the responsible development of artificial general intelligence (AGI). “We’re excited to learn, to contribute, and to help shape what’s next,” the founders said.
Founded with a focus on enhancing recommendation engines for e-commerce, Crossing Minds developed AI tools capable of understanding consumer behavior from on-site interactions — all without violating user privacy. Their privacy-first recommendation platform attracted high-profile clients including Intuit, Udacity, Chanel, and even Anthropic.
According to TechCrunch, the company had raised over \$13.5 million in funding from prominent investors like Index Ventures, Shopify, Plug and Play, and Radical Ventures. Their website has now confirmed that they are no longer accepting new clients, indicating a complete absorption into OpenAI.
This move lands amidst an ongoing arms race in AI personalisation, with players like Google and startups such as Perplexity building their own recommendation features to augment search and shopping experiences.
What Undercode Say:
OpenAI’s acquisition of the Crossing Minds team isn’t just another tech talent absorption — it’s a calculated pivot. Here’s what this really means for the future of AI:
A Bet on Personalization
OpenAI has focused largely on text and language understanding, but the integration of Crossing Minds hints at a new frontier — personal agents that know you. While large language models understand language patterns, personalization engines understand user intent and behavior. Combining the two allows OpenAI to build truly responsive AI agents, not just reactive chatbots.
Strengthening the Post-Training Pipeline
Robicquet’s new role in “Post-training and Agents” is particularly telling. It suggests that Crossing Minds’ expertise is being directed into refining AI behaviors after initial training — i.e., aligning AI outputs more closely with human expectations. This is critical for recommendation systems that must adapt quickly to user signals in real time.
Privacy as a Differentiator
Crossing Minds built its entire model around privacy-first principles. In a time when companies like Meta face backlash over data usage, OpenAI may be looking to shore up public trust by embedding privacy at the architectural level. This could be a competitive advantage when launching personalized assistants or enterprise products.
Competitive Landscape Heating Up
With Perplexity pushing contextual search, and Google integrating AI into product discovery flows, OpenAI needed a countermeasure. The addition of Crossing Minds may serve as the secret weapon — a way to plug in smart, efficient personalization without rebuilding from scratch.
Enterprise and Consumer Hybridization
Crossing Minds worked with high-end clients and commercial brands. That dual exposure to both consumer and enterprise contexts makes their team versatile — something OpenAI needs as it branches into everything from API services to ChatGPT-powered consumer apps.
In summary, this isn’t just about e-commerce personalization. It’s about making OpenAI’s agents more human-aware, more behaviorally adaptive, and ready to act as real-time companions across domains.
🔍 Fact Checker Results:
✅ Robicquet’s LinkedIn now lists him at OpenAI under “Research, Post-training and Agents.”
✅ Crossing Minds raised \$13.5M+ from reputable VCs including Index Ventures.
✅ Their website confirms a halt in accepting new clients, signaling full integration.
📊 Prediction:
OpenAI will likely release new agent-based features within the next 12 months, leveraging Crossing Minds’ personalization backbone. Expect smarter, privacy-conscious shopping and content recommendations in ChatGPT, as well as tighter integrations in enterprise environments. This move sets the stage for OpenAI to become not just a model provider — but a full-service AI platform that knows how to listen, learn, and recommend.
References:
Reported By: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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