Zendesk opens its support software to ChatGPT and Claude agents

Zendesk, which makes customer support software, released a platform for external AI agents this week. The platform, Bridge, lets agents from other companies find data and do tasks in Zendesk, and it controls the data that each agent can use. Zendesk also started outcome-based pricing, where results set the price, but it gave no prices or test results.

How it works

Bridge gives agents APIs (tools that let software work with other software) and controls the data and tasks that each agent can use. It also gives Open Service Directory. The directory helps AI assistants find the verified support channel of a brand, and each business sets the data that agents see and when a person must check.

The numbers

Zendesk gave no prices, test results or customer data. 7 companies are in the directory at the start. Shashi Upadhyay of Zendesk says that outcome pricing makes Zendesk make pre-built agents that increase resolution rates.

What is not known

It is not clear how to set the outcome for each customer. Zendesk says it frequently uses the measures of success that the customer has. It gave no test results that personal AI agents will work correctly.

Insight: Vendors open the door but keep the control

Zendesk Bridge controls the data and tasks that external agents can use. In November 2026, Adobe put its agent for marketing in other AI platforms. Each vendor opens to external agents but keeps the rules of access, which reads as a move to control access. Leaders must find who sets those rules.