Author(s): Jorge Alcántara Barroso Originally published on Towards AI. OpenAI has just launched the GPT Store, which is now available to ChatGPT Plus, Team (new!), and Enterprise users. The store offers a space where developers can create and distribute their custom GPT-based chatbots. At launch, it features over 3 million custom GPTs across various categories. The GPT Store is envisioned as a marketplace of generative chatbots, where each bot is an instance of OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, customized with specific prompts (instructions), a set of tools (retrieval, dalle, browsing, code interpreter & custom actions), and the ability to load files to add custom knowledge to use with retrieval. If you want to learn how to use these, check out this article from last year. This customization allows these chatbots to focus on more particular tasks tailored to user needs. For example, a GPT could be loaded with a cookbook collection to assist with recipe queries or ingested with a given codebase to aid developers in code generation. A more advanced GPT may connect with external APIs (web applications) to take action for you. The launch of OpenAI’s GPT Store has been met with a mixture of enthusiasm and skepticism within the AI community. Optimists see it as a milestone in AI’s evolution, a step towards more accessible and versatile AI applications. Critics, however, voice concerns about its potential impacts on the AI development ecosystem, including the implications for creators’ revenue and the challenges of quality control and ethical standards. It’s essential to realistically assess the challenges & opportunities it presents. The Good With the upcoming builder revenue program, US builders will be able to earn based on user engagement, but expectations should be tempered as the revenue share is likely to be modest. From a technical standpoint, creating these custom GPTs is accessible to a wide range of users. The process involves using OpenAI’s GPT Builder, where creators can simply describe in plain language the capabilities they want their GPT to have. This tool then attempts to create an AI-powered chatbot based on these specifications. The ease of creation has been a point of interest since its announcement, allowing for quick development and sharing of GPTs. The Bad However, there are concerns among developers about the potential for copycat apps, reminiscent of issues faced in other app stores like Apple’s App Store in its early days. Furthermore, the moderation of these GPTs is nonexistent, which may lead to unexpected, undesired behavior or even custom actions that send your conversations or other information to 3rd parties without your explicit consent. But, how do I make money in the GPT Store? The Ugly With 180 million ChatGPT users and 250k Plus subscribers [source], the market seems vast. But, let’s crunch the numbers. Assuming a 10% revenue share, the theoretical upper limit for all creators if they reach every Plus user is $6 million annually. A Plausible Scenario of a Successful GPT:– 1% of Plus users engage with one of your GPTs.– These users are equally engaged with 5 GPTs from different creators. OpenAI earnings per Plus user: $20 / moAnnualized Plus revenue: $20 * 250,000 * 12 = $60 millRevenue share for all creators: 10% of $60 mill = $6 millYour final share as one of five creators used by 1% of Plus users: $6 million / (100 * 5) = $12,000 Annually For a rev share of 20% and a doubling of Plus users, this can get to 48k/yr, which, compared to other 2-sided marketplaces, is quite insignificant even for the biggest winners. Why is everyone talking about the store then? Let’s delve into the implications for OpenAI and developers. Strategic Goals of OpenAI with the GPT Store The GPT Store is not designed as a revenue source for creators, it does not create new engagement for OpenAI tools as it’s limited to Plus+ users. So, it must be a discovery tool, one that can teach OpenAI what to build next for its users. Building successful GPTs means teaching OpenAI where they should put their product development focus for their next B2C iteration. The Store represents a pivotal shift in OpenAI’s strategy, marking its transition to a product-centric approach. This move is not just about creating a marketplace for AI-driven applications but is also a strategic step towards market domination in the AI application sector. By launching the GPT Store, OpenAI positions itself to control a key distribution platform in the AI ecosystem, showcasing its advanced AI models while simultaneously diversifying its income sources beyond research grants and partnerships. Impact on Developers and Innovation The launch of the GPT Store is an opportunity for developers to innovate and experiment with AI-driven applications. However, it’s essential to temper expectations regarding the financial gains for individual creators. The platform serves more as a testing ground for new ideas and applications, offering insights into user preferences and application trends. It’s a chance for creators to contribute to the AI ecosystem, with OpenAI learning from these contributions to enhance its offerings and understand the market better. The Real Potential of the Store While the GPT Store opens doors for developers to showcase their creations and potentially earn revenue, its primary role seems to be as a strategic tool for OpenAI to expand its influence in the AI market and learn from the creative endeavors of its user community. The focus is on advancing the AI field and exploring new possibilities rather than on maximizing immediate financial returns for creators. The Store is a tool by OpenAI for OpenAI. It is not a new gold rush, and it will not create new millionaires. It will though, give millions of ideas to OpenAI. The Only Opportunity Requires Development BYOA – Bring Your Own API The true area of interest within the GPT Store lies in its ability to enable developers and companies to integrate their APIs into custom GPTs. This capability opens the door to specialized services, such as unique data fetching abilities and executing actions on […]
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