# Podium Deploys AI Agent "Jerry" to Transform Small Business Customer Service

OpenAI announced that Podium, a customer communication platform, has successfully deployed an AI agent called "Jerry" to over 10,000 small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), powered by OpenAI's GPT-5 model.

According to the tweet from @OpenAI, Jerry functions as an "AI teammate" that has driven impressive results, contributing to 300% growth for Podium while fundamentally changing how Main Street businesses interact with their customers.

This deployment represents a significant milestone in practical AI adoption for everyday businesses. Rather than serving tech giants or enterprise corporations, Jerry brings advanced AI capabilities to local shops, service providers, and other SMBs that typically lack resources for sophisticated technology infrastructure.

The AI agent likely handles routine customer service tasks such as answering inquiries, scheduling appointments, and managing communications across multiple channels—fre