OpenAI GPT Store: what is it and can you make money from it?

OpenAI’s GPT Store will launch next week, opening doors to AI-focused businesses who want to purchase chatbots tailor-built for their operational needs, or for entrepreneurs and engineers creating their own GPTs.

The store was first announced during OpenAI’s first annual development conference, but was delayed following the company’s internal crisis featuring CEO Sam Altman’s firing and eventual rehiring.

In an email sent to GPT Builders, – developers who use ChatGPT’s large language model to develop AI products – OpenAI stated that GPTs could be monetised through the store, which could turn ChatGPT into a viable side hustle platform.

Developing a GPT marketplace

No coding experience is required to develop GPTs, which can be as simple or as complex as users need them to be. They can range from explaining Gen Z memes to corporate negotiation guides.

Developers can simply type in what they want their GPT to do through the GPT Builder, which will then attempt to build an AI-powered chatbot based on the prompt provided.

GPTs, or AI agents, are built using ChatGPT-4 and will be available on the ‘Explore’ tab on ChatGPT Plus. In effect, this creates a marketplace for developers to showcase their products and potentially monetise their own AI offerings.

How to use the ChatGPT Store

The launch of the GPT Store marks Open AI’s evolution from an AI provider into a platform. This transformation marks a watershed for tech junkies who want to pursue passive side hustles in the AI arena.

Side hustlers will need to have a ChatGPT Plus subscription – which costs around £15 ($20) per month – to build their own GPTs on the Store. Users can also opt for the Enterprise subscription, but will need to reach out to sales for a quote.

From the home page, builders can head to the ‘Create a GPT’ page, where with the help of Chart GPT’s LLM and the configurations menu, they can create their own AI-powered chatbot.

In order to sell, builders will need to test their model and ensure that it meets ChatGPT’s brand guidelines and that the product is set to ‘public’.

Although the relevance of the GPT Store will be heavily influenced by its monetisation model, the move showcases OpenAI’s continuing push to remain at the centre of AI innovation.

Can you make money from the ChatGPT Store?

Although the monetisation model of GPTs on the GPT Store has not yet been disclosed by OpenAI, the new venture could shake up the accessibility of generative AI app creation.

According to experts, GPTs effectively democratise AI. The approach negates the need to pay for expensive consultancies whose business models revolve around building AI tools for their customers.

Figures obtained from a recent survey conducted for Startups.co.uk revealed that 15% of startups will be prioritising investment AI in the coming year. Such a trend could make platforms like the GPT Store a potential main source of technological investment for businesses.

AI will continue to trend in 2024, and as businesses look for ways to implement the technology, purchasing GPTs could prove an affordable way to meet this goal.