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ChatGPT Offers API Access & Developers Are Taking Advantage
Businesses can now develop paid services using the popular AI language model, meaning chatbots will soon be appearing everywhere.
On March 1, OpenAI, the San Francisco artificial intelligence company, released API access to their insanely popular ChatGPT tool, along with Whisper, a speech recognition service.
Since the release of ChatGPT, developers have been using the platform to build all manner of custom tools, including apps like QuickVid AI, which automatically generates ideas for YouTube videos. The app’s creator, Daniel Habib, explained that until now, it was impossible to monetize software featuring chatbot AI.
“All of these unofficial tools that were just toys, essentially, that would live in your own personal sandbox can now actually go out to tons of users,” Habib says.
OpenAI’s API release could mark the start of a new AI gold rush. What was previously a series of industrious hobbyists creating apps in a licensing gray area could soon become an entirely new industry.
“What this release means for companies is that adding AI capabilities to applications is much more accessible and affordable,” notes Hassan El Mghari, who manages TwitterBio, a ChatGPT service that generates Twitter profile text for users.
Also Read: Areeba To Bring Biometric Payment Authentication To MENA
OpenAI has also updated its data retention policy and will now only hold user data for 30 days, promising it won’t use user-generated text inputs to train its AI models. This policy change means that companies will be in better control of their data rather than needing to trust a third party to manage where it goes.
In addition to better data-retention policies, API access to ChatGPT is now 10 times cheaper than OpenAI’s lower-powered GPT3 API, which launched in June 2020. The falling price of many of these large language models means there will likely be a plethora of AI chatbots to choose from in the near future.
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Checkout.com Set To Launch Card Issuing In The UAE
The payment service provider’s expansion is a first-of-its-kind investment and could reshape digital transactions across the region.
Checkout.com is laying the groundwork to become the first global payments platform to introduce card issuing in the United Arab Emirates — a move that could reshape how businesses in the region manage financial transactions.
The company plans to roll out its domestic card issuance offering in the UAE by 2026, subject to regulatory approval. The launch would give businesses the tools to issue both physical and virtual branded cards. This, in turn, opens up new ways to reward customers, streamline expense processes, and handle B2B payouts efficiently.
Checkout.com’s CEO and Founder, Guillaume Pousaz, revealed the plans during Thrive Abu Dhabi, the firm’s debut conference in the Emirates. Joined on stage by Remo Giovanni Abbondandolo, General Manager for MENA, Pousaz presented to an audience of over 150 partners and merchants at Saadiyat Island. Also in attendance was H.E. Omar Sultan Al Olama, the UAE’s Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications.
Abbondandolo highlighted the strategic importance of the announcement: “As a global business, we focus on bringing products to markets that our customers want and need. Today’s announcement is proof of our commitment to the MENA region and its rising influence in the digital economy. The appetite for innovation here is real, and we’re proud to be building the infrastructure that powers it”.
One early adopter of Checkout.com’s UAE acquiring services is Headout, a travel experiences marketplace, which recently named the payment provider as its main partner in Europe. The company has already begun card issuing there and is keen to expand that offering into MENA once approval is granted.
The expansion of services in the UAE and beyond builds on Checkout.com’s track record in the region. It was the first global payments firm to secure a Retail Payment Services license from the UAE’s Central Bank and was instrumental in rolling out Mada and Apple Pay in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Also Read: Protecting Your WhatsApp Account From Hackers: Kaspersky Expert Tips
The firm has also been rolling out new products: One of the latest is Flow Remember Me, currently in beta testing. It allows shoppers to store their card information once and access it across Checkout.com’s entire network, potentially cutting checkout times by up to 70%.
Earlier this year, Checkout.com also introduced Visa Direct’s Push-to-Card solution in the UAE, enabling both domestic and international payouts. Its collaboration with Mastercard has grown as well, making it easier for businesses to send funds directly to third-party cards securely and quickly.
With regional tech ambitions on the rise — spurred by initiatives like Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s 2031 Agenda — Checkout.com sees its role as one of a key enabler. “Our mission is to help ambitious businesses navigate the complexity of payments, so they can move faster, go further, and make the most of every opportunity,” said Abbondandolo. “In MENA, performance is personal. It’s local. It’s built on trust. And when payments perform, businesses thrive”.
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