OpenAI launches a store for custom AI-powered chatbots

OpenAI has introduced the GPT Store, an online platform within the ChatGPT web client, showcasing a variety of custom chatbot applications powered by its advanced AI models like GPT-4 and DALL-E 3. This move comes after OpenAI hinted at such a development for developers last week.

The GPT Store features a collection of GPTs, contributed both by OpenAI’s collaborators and the broader developer community. Users of GPT can explore these offerings through a community leaderboard, categorized into sections such as lifestyle, writing, research, programming, and education. Access to the GPT Store is exclusive to subscribers of OpenAI’s premium ChatGPT plans like ChatGPT Plus, ChatGPT Enterprise, or the newly introduced ChatGPT Team.

Initial offerings in the GPT Store encompass diverse applications like a trail recommender by AllTrails, a coding instructor from Khan Academy, and a content designer developed by Canva. While these are available free of charge initially, OpenAI has hinted at potential changes to this in the future.

Developing a GPT doesn’t necessitate coding expertise. Developers can specify desired functionalities for their chatbots in straightforward language, utilizing OpenAI’s GPT Builder tool to craft AI chatbots tailored to those requirements. For instance, a GPT could be trained on recipe collections to answer ingredient-related queries or analyze a company’s internal code to assist developers with style adherence and best practices.

To list their GPTs on the store, developers undergo a verification process and submit their creations to OpenAI’s review system. This system combines both human and automated evaluations to ensure compliance with OpenAI’s terms of service, with provisions for users to report any non-compliant instances.

Concerns arise regarding OpenAI’s moderation practices, especially given past criticisms about employing underpaid contractors for its AI systems. Questions about the human component of the GPT Store review process, such as compensation and mental health support for reviewers, remain unanswered as of now.

Although developers cannot monetize their GPTs upon launch, OpenAI intends to introduce a revenue program in Q1, compensating U.S. developers based on user engagement metrics. Detailed criteria for these payments will be disclosed later.

While the GPT Store was initially announced during OpenAI’s DevDay developer conference last year, its release was postponed, likely due to leadership changes within the organization. The democratization of generative AI application creation through GPTs could potentially disrupt traditional consultancy models focused on building similar applications for clients. The ramifications of this development remain to be seen.