OpenAI plans to launch its GPT store, custom applications based on its text-generating AI models such as GPT-4, sometime next week. OpenAI says developers developing GPTs must review the company's updated usage policy and GPT branding guidelines to ensure their GPTs are compliant before they can be listed in the store, aptly called the GPT Store. They must also verify their user profile and ensure their GPT is published as "Public".
The GPT store was announced last year at DevDay, OpenAI's first annual developer conference, but was delayed until December -- almost certainly due to a leadership shakeup that occurred just after the November announcement. (In short, CEO Sam Altman was pushed out by the OpenAI board, only to be brought back by the new board after investor and employee backlash).
GPT does not require programming experience and can be designed to be as simple or complex as the developer wishes. For example, GPT could be trained on recipe collection, allowing it to answer questions about specific recipe ingredients. Alternatively, GPT can ingest a company's proprietary code base so developers can check its style or generate code that adheres to best practices.
Developers simply enter the functionality they want GPT to provide in plain language, and OpenAI's GPT building tool GPTBuilder will attempt to make an AI-powered chatbot that implements those functionality. Shortly after DevDay, developers will be able to create GPTs and share them with others directly through the ChatGPT website, but they will not be able to publish them publicly.
It's unclear whether GPT Store will launch any form of revenue sharing program. As of November, Altman and CTO Mira Murati told my colleague Devin Coldewey that there wasn't a firm plan for GPT monetization, and emails about GPTStore's upcoming launch didn't mention what, if anything, developers could expect in terms of payments.
An OpenAI spokesperson said there will be more news next week. The startup previewed its ambitions in March when it launched a plug-in for ChatGPT, its artificial intelligence chatbot, bringing third parties into OpenAI's model ecosystem for the first time.
GPT effectively democratizes the creation of generative AI applications—at least for applications that use the OpenAI family of models. In fact, GPT may kill consulting firms whose business models revolve around building what is essentially a GPT for their clients.