How I accidentally got Improvy OÜ verified on OpenAI, even though I technically should not have.

While working on Saylify recently, I noticed that in the OpenAI API Playground some models were unavailable and required company verification. The funny thing was that all those same models worked perfectly fine through direct API calls.

I decided to go through verification, expecting I would have to upload the company documents again, like I previously did for the Apple Developer Program. It turned out to be much simpler, and in practice it was not company verification at all, but personal verification instead (standard KYC: take a selfie, turn your head, photograph your ID). Without reading the details, I went through it on autopilot and used my Russian passport as ID (since in Improvy OÜ’s corporate documents I am listed as a Russian citizen).

After that, the verification status changed from 'Pending' to 'Need Review', as if something had gone wrong. I started reading the documentation and saw that Russia is on the unsupported countries list, but Georgia (whose driver’s license I often use in various KYC checks) is fully supported. Expecting the application to be rejected, I stopped thinking about it so I would not clutter my head.

Today, when I opened the OpenAI API Platform, I saw that the company is verified. Well then, I am not complaining 😁