The GPT Store, OpenAI’s anticipated AI app store, will not make its previously announced debut this year. Instead, the company has revealed that the launch is now slated for an unspecified date in early 2024, attributing the delay to the leadership changes that occurred in November, shortly after the initial announcement.
Axios initially reported the news after obtaining a memo sent to users and developers. The memo explained the shift in plans, stating, “we are now planning to launch the GPT Store early next year. While we had expected to release it this month, a few unexpected things have been keeping us busy!” It also outlined forthcoming enhancements, such as an improved configuration interface and debug messages.
Further details from OpenAI or other sources are currently pending, and additional information will be provided upon receipt.
The initial announcement of the store’s launch this month garnered attention during OpenAI’s Dev Day conference in November. Despite showcasing a functional mockup of the store and several fine-tuned GPT models for inspection, numerous questions remained unanswered.
During a Q&A session with temporarily ousted CEO Sam Altman and CTO Mira Murati, inquiries about the store’s customer charges and developer compensation plans were met with a vague response of “we’ll see.”
Given the lack of a concrete launch plan and the disruption caused by the recent board versus CEO conflict, the delay is unsurprising. Navigating a major product release, coupled with managing a new board and other priorities, especially during the winter holidays, would likely be impractical.
While OpenAI customers can still create and share GPTs directly, these models will not be publicly listed or eligible for participation in any revenue-sharing programs (if implemented by OpenAI) until the formal launch of the GPT Store.
