Yelp signed a licensing agreement with OpenAI that lets ChatGPT surface its reviews, photos, and business information in relevant local search answers. Additionally, ChatGPT will feature a Yelp button on local service searches that lets users request a quote, book a consultation, or schedule an appointment with a local pro without leaving the chatbot.
Just when you hoped Yelp would finally fuck off, they seem to be making a resurgence across AI platforms like Amazon's Alexa+, Apple Maps, Yahoo+, and Microsoft Bing with data licensing deals that run through API and MCP integrations.
Honestly, it's smart for Yelp to seek new distribution channels. At one point, they were the big dawg of local reviews. Then Google came and ate their lunch. Now, as companies actively aim to bypass Google and seek new ways to reach consumers, chatbots come to the rescue.
Will the strategy work? Yelp's been burned before. As you might recall, Google spent years using Yelp's content in its local results, and Yelp claimed it couldn't opt out without vanishing from search entirely. The fight led to an FTC investigation and settlement, and is now back in court.
This time Yelp has actual agreements in place with OpenAI and other AI firms, though not exclusive on either side, and OpenAI reserves the right to display Yelp's content as it sees fit (including not very prominently). At any point, OpenAI could launch its own proprietary reviews feature and prioritize it over Yelp, just like Google did.
Last month, I reported that Shopify partnered with Trustpilot to let merchants collect, manage, and showcase Trustpilot reviews inside their own storefronts. The recent trend seems to be that these independent review platforms like Yelp and Trustpilot partner with AI and e-commerce firms, offering credibility in exchange for distribution. However, I don't see this ending well for any of these review platforms, as they're a feature away from being replaced with in-house tools.
