OpenAI Hires Entire Team Behind AI Recommendation Startup Backed by Shopify.

OpenAI is making waves again—this time by bringing the core team from Crossing Minds into its ranks. The move, announced on June 27, 2025, isn’t about snapping up products or code, but rather about acquiring the people who built some of the most sophisticated AI recommendation systems in e-commerce. Co-founders Alexandre Robicquet and Emile Contal, along with other key team members, are shifting their focus from running a startup to helping OpenAI sharpen its personalization tools.

Crossing Minds, backed by investors like Index Ventures and Shopify, had raised over $13.5 million and powered recommendations for brands such as Intuit, Anthropic, Udacity, and Chanel. Their edge? Real-time personalization that respects user privacy, built to understand what people want, not just what they click on. As the Crossing Minds brand winds down, existing clients will still be supported during the transition.

Robicquet has already updated his LinkedIn to reflect his new role at OpenAI, focusing on research, post-training, and AI agents—areas that directly influence how AI models learn and adapt after their initial training. This expertise is expected to boost OpenAI’s ability to deliver smarter, more intuitive recommendations, potentially making products like ChatGPT even more responsive and personalized.

This move comes as the AI sector heats up, with major players racing to secure top talent in recommendation technology. For OpenAI, the integration of the Crossing Minds team is a strategic step towards building AI that feels genuinely helpful and adaptive, raising the bar for personalized digital experiences.

As the Crossing Minds founders put it, joining OpenAI lets them bring their work and values into a mission they deeply respect: “We’re thrilled to bring our experience and energy to a team that’s setting the direction for the future of AI.”