Custom GPTS: What they are and how to make one.

ChatGPT

OpenAI, a big name in artificial intelligence, recently introduced a nifty feature to their widely-used ChatGPT. It's called custom GPTs, and it's all about giving users more control. Imagine being able to change how this AI chatbot chats with you, or even deciding what information it uses. It's like customizing your own digital assistant! But the big question is: Is this a revolutionary step in AI technology, or just a cool new trick?

This feature comes at a critical time for OpenAI. The company has seen some major changes, including the departure of co-founder Sam Altman and other key figures. There's a lot of mystery around these exits, leaving some to wonder about OpenAI's future in the fast-paced world of AI.

So, what's this all about? Well, GPT stands for "generative pre-trained transformer." Think of it as a super-advanced version of your phone's autocomplete, but it draws from a vast pool of internet data. The latest ChatGPT version uses GPT-4, which can even understand images, and it's part of a broader set of AI tools including the image generator DALL-E 3.

Before, if you wanted ChatGPT to talk in a certain style, it wasn't straightforward. You had to ask it to take on a role or personality, and if you needed it to use specific information, you had to provide it yourself. Sharing these customized interactions with others was a bit of a hassle, too.

Enter custom GPTs, which make this whole process a breeze.

For paying subscribers, creating a custom GPT is pretty simple. Just click around in the ChatGPT interface, and you can start crafting your own version. OpenAI has created some safe, standard options for this launch – like a coloring book maker, a tech support helper, and even one that chats in Gen Z slang.

Soon, these custom GPTs will be available in a public app store, offering a wide range of specialized AI tools. For now, you'll have to hunt around online communities to see what's being developed. But there's already a fascinating variety, from tax help to fancy weather apps.

In the absence of an official way to explore these apps, enthusiasts are finding creative solutions. For instance, Rowan Cheung, who runs a popular AI newsletter, has even designed a custom GPT to help people discover new ones.

Cheung likens the current state of ChatGPT to the first iPhone, with the introduction of custom GPTs being similar to the launch of Apple's App Store. He's excited about the possibilities but also reminds us of the AI's limitations. For instance, it's not ready to replace professionals like lawyers or accountants just yet, as it can still make mistakes.

This development in ChatGPT opens up a world of personalization and innovation, potentially shaping how we interact with AI in the future.

I TRIED TO MAKE A CUSTOM GPT

Recently, I embarked on a unique experiment: Could I make an AI sound like me, using my own newsletters? The journey was a mix of fun and challenges. Imagine teaching a robot to mimic your style – that's what it felt like!

I fed about a dozen of my newsletters to this AI, hoping it would capture my voice. At first, its responses were a mixed bag. When I asked if AI was cringe-worthy, it replied, "It's a bit like watching your dad do tube girl." That sounded somewhat like me. But then it said something about "an endearing effort mixed with secondhand embarrassment" – a phrase I'd never use!

After tweaking the instructions, the AI came up with, "The cringe factor often comes from how people use AI or hype it up," which was more on point. This experience pretty much sums up what you can expect from these personalized AIs – they're almost, but not quite, there.

One thing I learned is that just tweaking the AI isn’t enough; you need to add something new. For example, music producers added a software manual to their custom AI, making it a handy guide.

What's really exciting is that these AIs can now connect with other web services. I tried two: one that gave instructions to a graphic design program, and another that helped build websites. They were a bit slow and had limited results, but still impressive. The design AI even tried to create an image for this article, though it was a bit chaotic.

Pietro Schirano, an AI developer, believes these custom AIs are a step up from previous attempts at integrating AI with other services, even though they have their quirks. For instance, I faced some crashes and slow responses, especially when the AI interacted with other web services.

Despite these hiccups, Schirano remains hopeful about the potential of these custom AIs. The success of these tools, he says, hinges on two things: OpenAI continuing to improve and developers creating AIs that people find genuinely useful.

So, this was my little AI adventure – a glimpse into a future where we might just be chatting with AIs that understand us a bit better, quirks and all!