Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
By Rachel Metz
OpenAI has launched an online store where people can share customized versions of the company’s popular ChatGPT chatbot, after its rollout was initially delayed due to leadership turmoil last year.
The new store, which rolled out Wednesday to paying ChatGPT users, will bring together the chatbots that users create for a variety of tasks, such as a version of ChatGPT that can teach math to a child or come up with colorful cocktail recipes. The product, called the GPT Store, will feature chatbots that users want to share publicly. It will eventually introduce ways for people to monetize their creations, just as they could through Apple Inc.’s app stores. or Google from Alphabet Inc.
Similar to those app stores, OpenAI’s GPT Store lets users see the most popular and trending chatbots on a leaderboard and search them by category. In a blog post announcing the rollout, OpenAI said people have created 3 million custom chatbots to date, although it wasn’t clear how many were available through the store at launch.
The store’s launch comes as OpenAI works to build out its ecosystem of services and find new revenue streams. On Wednesday, OpenAI also announced a new paid ChatGPT tier for companies with smaller teams, starting at $25 per month per user. OpenAI first launched an enterprise version of ChatGPT in August with additional features and privacy safeguards.
People who pay for ChatGPT access (including business customers and ChatGPT Plus subscribers) are eligible to use or create custom GPTs. Initially, users will not be able to benefit from their chatbots, OpenAI said. But within the first three months of the year, the company will share details on how people can make money from it. The company said in its blog post that people in the US will be paid “based on user engagement” with their chatbots.
OpenAI originally said it planned to introduce the store in late November, but postponed the rollout to this year, citing disruptions caused by the ouster and reinstatement of CEO Sam Altman in November.
The startup will feature new GPTs every week. At launch, the chatbots included one from the company Canva, which helps people design logos, flyers and other media, and another that recommends recreational hiking trails.
First print: January 10, 2024 | 11:31 PM IST