July 23, 2025
5 min read
Lionel Lim
OpenAI leverages AI agents to transform search and expand in Asia
Artificial intelligence has been quietly powering many technologies for over a decade, from facial recognition to video game opponents. However, the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022 made AI tangible for consumers, showcasing how large language models (LLMs) can assist with tasks such as trip planning, email drafting, and workflow automation.
Generative AI is now reshaping the search landscape. Instead of relying solely on traditional search engines, users increasingly turn to LLM-powered bots for research. Even Google has embraced AI integration within its search results.
OpenAI aims to capitalize on this shift with a new kind of internet search. Recently, it launched “connectors” for some ChatGPT users, enabling access to data from third-party platforms like Outlook, Microsoft Teams, and SharePoint.
“It’s very integrated,” said Oliver Jay, OpenAI’s managing director for international markets, speaking at Fortune Brainstorm AI Singapore on July 23, 2025. “Connectors will allow users to access and analyze their work data, such as generating reports from emails and meetings with a single prompt.”Jay emphasized that these search functions are driving OpenAI’s business growth. When asked if OpenAI plans to launch a browser or office software suite to compete directly with Google, Apple, and Microsoft, Jay explained that future products will be shaped by how users interact with work.
“We didn’t build search because we wanted to necessarily go after the search market. We saw users wanted agents, and agents needed to go out and find information. That’s how we built search.”
OpenAI’s Expansion in Asia
OpenAI, headquartered in the U.S., is actively expanding into Asian markets. It opened its first Asia office in Tokyo early last year and announced plans for a Singapore office later that year. In February 2025, OpenAI revealed a partnership with South Korea’s internet giant Kakao to develop AI products for the region. At the conference, Jay disclosed that OpenAI is collaborating with Singapore’s Tourism Board.“We’re looking at advanced marketing insights and building a more personalized experience for visitors with all the different businesses involved,” Jay said.The Tourism Board is exploring how OpenAI’s technology can enhance the tourism sector, such as helping hotels provide multilingual AI assistance. Singapore Tourism Board’s Chief Technology Officer Jordan Tan stated that leveraging OpenAI’s capabilities could be a “key enabler in addressing productivity challenges and accelerating digital transformation across the sector.”