Will the New ChatGPT Creator Be the Next App Store?

If you've been following the news in AI, you're probably used to bombshells dropping every day.

However, on November 6th, OpenAI dropped an entire truckload of them. Their announcement included a more up-to-date, faster version of GPT-4, GPT-4 Turbo. To boot, this new version is going to be three times cheaper to use for API calls, a major incentive for app builders and big users.

But there was another hidden gem that OpenAI also released. Specifically, the company dropped that they will soon be providing a GPT creator. This will allow users to create their own mods and plugins of ChatGPT with all the ease of text prompts and drag-and-drop.

First, let's dwell on how mind-blowing this is.

OpenAI is telling us that, in a question of days, anyone will be able to harness the power of AI to create their own tools. This could mean that individual creativity is about to be unleashed in a way we haven't seen since the dawn of social media. ChatGPT will be set to enable the creation of complex apps without advanced coding. The possibilities could be limitless for any person willing to do some prompt engineering and tinkering.

But wait, there's more!

Not only will OpenAI provide their GPT creator to the general public, but they will also be launching a GPT store. This store will be a marketplace where anyone who creates a GPT mod or app can sell it.

Say that again?

Very well. OpenAI is opening the door to what might be one of the most powerful software tools ever made. They are handing the possibilities of AI app creation to regular people who want to make their own apps. And they are providing a massive incentive: providing a platform to monetize them!

If you think about it, OpenAI is opening the doors to business partnerships with app creators. In theory, anyone can sign up and start creating apps from day one. Plus, they will provide them with a sales platform that already has over 100 million users.

This could be absolutely huge for many reasons. To begin with, it could lead to a boom in GPT-based app creation. This could mean both individuals and companies creating useful apps for a broader audience. Soon, regular people might find that there are GPT apps made just for their needs.

It is also huge because this could become a gold mine for both businesses and individuals who create GPTs. The possibility of easy GPT creation would be a massive opportunity for anyone willing to try it out.

Initially, the GPT creator tool will be only for Plus and Premium users of ChatGPT. There is no news yet if this will eventually become a feature for all users.

Despite the access limits, this development comes as major news in the tech world. It's true that OpenAI has gotten a huge user base in very little time. Despite this, a valid question has been if they could maintain their position with increasing competition. Rivals such as Meta's Llama 2, Claude, and Google Bard have gotten billions in investment. For some users, competing GPTs are as good as (if not better) than ChatGPT.

However, the new GPT marketplace might be what OpenAI needs to establish even greater dominance. Apple managed to turn its App Store into one of the world's most desirable tech marketplaces. According to Apple, the App Store has already generated over $1 trillion in billing and sales.

Could a GPT store produce similar, staggering numbers? It is likely too early to tell. But if the recent past has been any indication, nobody will write off ChatGPT anytime soon.