OpenAI is testing a feature that would allow users to connect ChatGPT to their bank accounts using Plaid, a service that links apps to financial institutions. The capability is described as being available in preview, with users able to “securely connect” ChatGPT to accounts via Plaid’s bank-to-app integration layer. Plaid is used by thousands of financial institutions, and the reports note examples such as Schwab and Fidelity. The announcement indicates the connection is intended to give ChatGPT access to account-related information so it can respond in ways tied to a user’s finances. The coverage characterizes the change as new and potentially sensitive because it involves direct access to banking data. The Hacker News reference centers on the same claim that OpenAI is linking ChatGPT to bank accounts through Plaid. The Verge’s report focuses on the preview nature of the feature and the role of Plaid as the intermediary that enables the integration.