OpenAI has unveiled an exciting development by introducing GPTs, which grants individuals the ability to craft their personalized iterations of the popular conversational AI system, ChatGPT. This novel approach not only empowers users to create GPTs for leisure or productivity but also provides the opportunity to showcase and potentially monetize their creations on a platform called the GPT Store.
These freshly announced features were presented alongside other innovations during OpenAI’s inaugural developer day held in San Francisco. This marks a shift towards a more hands-off approach to the AI marketplace, which has historically been dominated by a limited number of versatile AI systems. These systems are evolving to be even more versatile, but OpenAI has clearly taken inspiration from Apple in recognizing the value of being a hub for the creativity of others.
Sam Altman, the founder and CEO of OpenAI, expressed the company’s belief in enabling people with the necessary tools to achieve remarkable feats. In this context, OpenAI is introducing GPTs, which are “custom versions of ChatGPT tailored for specific purposes.” This may cause some initial confusion since GPT, short for “generative pretrained transformer,” is the technical term for this type of large language model.
Creating GPTs is designed to be accessible to individuals with no coding experience and can be as straightforward or intricate as desired. For example, you can craft a GPT trained on your collection of recipes to quickly inquire about ingredient lists for a specific dish. Alternatively, you could feed it information about a complex fantasy series and ask questions like, “Who is Sir Roderick Random?” For more serious applications, developers or companies can train a GPT on their proprietary code to help others check their coding style or generate consistent code.
One notable feature is the ability to create a GPT simply by conversing with ChatGPT and describing your requirements, a functionality that will soon be available for testing. Sam Altman demonstrated this by instructing ChatGPT to create a bot for advising startup founders on how to enhance their businesses. He then uploaded a lecture on the subject, requested a concise and constructive summary, and deemed it ready for use.
Additionally, users will have the option to integrate external services, such as translation APIs, although they can choose whether their data can be processed in this manner.
One of the most significant announcements is the introduction of the GPT Store by OpenAI, where GPTs can be distributed and, eventually, monetized. In the near future, OpenAI plans to launch this platform, featuring creations by verified builders. GPTs in the store will be searchable and may gain recognition based on their utility and appeal in categories like productivity, education, and entertainment. OpenAI also intends to reward creators based on the popularity of their GPTs.
This GPT Store model draws parallels with the App Store’s success for Apple, with the potential for GPT creators to host, develop, promote, and earn from their creations on the OpenAI platform. The exact monetization structure is still evolving, but it may involve revenue sharing or the possibility of individual GPT subscriptions.
While the term “verified builders” remains somewhat ambiguous, it seems to be a measure to prevent low-quality or fraudulent GPTs from entering the marketplace. Initial offerings in the GPT Store appear to be official applications rather than individual experiments.
OpenAI’s ambitious vision might bring it into competition with industry giants like Apple and Microsoft. Potential conflicts could arise if Apple challenges the monetization of GPT models without taking a share through its App Store. Furthermore, Microsoft is launching its Copilot models, specialized for tasks like Office tools, which could overlap with GPTs in the enterprise sector.
Although Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, OpenAI’s assertive moves indicate that it is taking a lead role, and the dynamics between the two companies will be intriguing to observe in the coming years. The specific details of the GPT Store are expected to evolve as OpenAI continues to develop and refine its platform.
