OpenAI’s new application store is home to some intriguing chatbots, such as those promising to predict future stock prices and create content that can bypass plagiarism detection tools used by educational institutions, according to the latest data. Though these tools have seen high usage, with some viewing the plagiarism bypassers roughly 3 million times, they may violate OpenAI’s regulations which prohibit chatbots from offering financial, legal, or medical counsel that hasn’t been scrutinised by a certified professional.
In November, the Microsoft-supported start-up began allowing premium users to develop their own versions of ChatGPT, naming these creations as “GPTs”. The global user base can then access these custom GPTs through the online marketplace.
According to SimilarWeb, an analytics firm, several of the top-ranking GPTs have educational applications. For instance, the second most accessed app, Consensus, summarises academic papers after scouting for them. Other apps that have seen a surge in usage this year include those that can produce images instantly, facilitate language translation, or assist in job applications by scrutinising CVs and cover letters.
The data also indicates that users have used the app, Finance Wizard, over 200,000 times. The app’s creator insists that it derives stock movement forecasts from historical data and includes disclaimers cautioning against its use for financial consultation.
OpenAI’s strategy, according to CEO Sam Altman, ensures that GPTs adhere to the company’s usage policies before becoming accessible, using various means such as automated systems, human evaluations, and customer feedback. Users can also rate and review GPTs. By leveraging customised versions of ChatGPT, a chatbot with 100 million weekly users, Altman aims to create a high-performing digital platform akin to Apple’s successful app store. Altman hopes that top GPT creators will soon be able to monetise their apps, thereby encouraging more developers to make GPTs.
Data from SimilarWeb reveals a partial insight due to its inability to include view counts from OpenAI’s ChatGPT mobile application, which boasts 169 million downloads as per data.ai’s analytics. Even with these limitations, the data reflects that custom-made GPTs don’t have a wide-range attraction yet as they constituted a mere 1.5% of desktop visits to the ChatGPT website in February, according to SimilarWeb’s findings. Furthermore, weekly visitor numbers have stabilized since the inception of the store.
OpenAI is seemingly adhering to a basic platform-building blueprint, that’s so typical that it could have been composed by ChatGPT, opines independent tech analyst, Benedict Evans. He reflects on the existence of a developer meeting, an API, and an application store, yet remains uncertain regarding their true impact.
OpenAI confirmed that the GPT store has engaged millions of people since its launch and pointed out how crucial developer feedback is in aiming for progression. They admitted: “We’re conscious that we have areas to progress in and we’re grateful for all the advice that developers are giving us.”
Several noteworthy organisations, such as AllTrails, a hiking application, Khan Academy, an education not-for-profit, and travel finder Kayak, have successfully created well-liked GPTs.
An early adopter, Canva, an Australian tech firm, successfully launched a custom GPT which enables users to craft social media graphics, receiving over 4.4 million views to date. “This opportunity enables us to cater to users within their comfort zone,” says Duncan Clark, Canva’s European chief. © The Financial Times Limited 2024.