OpenAI, the company behind the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, has announced that it is delaying the launch of its highly-anticipated GPT store from late 2023 to early 2024. The postponement comes amid recent leadership turmoil at the San Francisco-based startup.
Unveiled OpenAI Plans for GPT Store
OpenAI first unveiled plans for the GPT store, a marketplace for customized chatbots called GPTs, at its inaugural developers conference on November 6.
The company said that the store would allow users without coding knowledge to create personalized versions of ChatGPT to perform specialized tasks like booking flights. Users could also share their custom GPTs in the store and potentially earn money based on usage, similar to the app store model used by Apple.
OpenAI originally planned to launch the GPT store later in November, with public availability of customized GPT bots that users could build for various industries and applications.
Reasons for Delay
However, OpenAI sent an email to developers on Thursday, saying it was now targeting an early 2024 release instead of the previously announced December target.
The email cited “a few unexpected things” that have kept the company busy, likely referring at least in part to the recent temporary ousting of CEO Sam Altman.
Leadership Upheaval
On November 17, OpenAI Board members surprisingly voted to remove Altman from his CEO position, citing a lack of transparency with the board. This triggered a string of events over 5 days that ultimately led to Altman’s reinstatement along with a shakeup of the Board itself.
The attempted firing prompted outrage among employees. Nearly the entire engineering staff signed a petition demanding Altman’s return or they would quit. Other executives also threatened to leave, sparking a Twitter campaign to stay united.
After negotiations and leadership changes on the board, Altman was reinstated as CEO on November 23rd.
Impact of Chaotic Week
This turbulent week of uncertainty surrounding OpenAI’s leadership likely disrupted operations and delayed high-priority initiatives like the GPT store launch.
With the holidays approaching, shipping such a major product release under duress along with navigating other transitions would have been hugely challenging.
Continued GPT Builder Access
While the GPT store is postponed, OpenAI confirmed that developers can still access the GPT builder to create customized bots. However, these AI assistants won’t be publicly listed or shareable until after the full launch.
Looking Ahead to 2024
OpenAI will spend the next months continuing improvements to ChatGPT and the GPT builder platform based on user feedback.
The company aims to make the GPT store consumer-ready after working out any issues with their complex AI infrastructure required to support a live marketplace of customizable chatbots.
When OpenAI unveils its long-awaited GPT store in 2024, it could greatly expand public access and visibility for this groundbreaking AI technology that drew immense hype after ChatGPT recently burst onto the scene.
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