It’s genius. Here’s some thoughts following on DevDay 2025.
Apps in ChatGPT
Through the new Apps SDK, all SAAS companies are required to build an integration into ChatGPT, because if they don’t, they’ll just get completely replaced by the competition. When creating a presentation, people already spend a lot of their time in ChatGPT to assemble the contents. They used to copy-paste them out into a presentation tool, but when they can generate, edit, and export a Canva deck right on ChatGPT, there’s no need to ever visit that website.
It’s an absolutely scary, but genius move. Sooner or later, a “normal person” (meaning non-dev or so) will be able to spend 100% of their time on their computer in ChatGPT. Wait till they add a nice Music player, Video (Netflix and co.) player, and Email UI and invent a new kind of messaging service (I have some ideas that I’ll share later).
While for long people thought that companies such as Spotify, Canva and Booking would pay OAI for their LLM API and implement their own AI assistants and integrate those into their apps. And they have to a certain degree, but that’s still the old approach to computing. As I wrote in earlier blog entries, I like the idea of a centralized place of computing, but I’m not sure I want a company such as OpenAI to own it.
Only running the backend of a slides company isn’t profitable and holds no way of upselling whatsoever. And slowly, OpenAI can replace Canva in ChatGPT with their own tools and get the fastest adoption rate ever.
Adoption rates
Speaking of adoption rates, something that OpenAI really has figured out is how to incrementally make steps in a way that makes sure everybody adopts them. Every person who has no clue of technology whatsoever. That’s through Sora or now apps, they know how to drive adoption rates.
From Model to Product
ChatGPT was the first consumer LLM wrapper and thus got all the news. “Have you tried ChatGPT” was a standard phrase amongst people outside the tech bubble by the start of 2023, so competitors such as Claude or Gemini simply didn’t get the media attention that ChatGPT got. That means that “ordinary” people like my Mom only know ChatGPT, and OAI knows that too.
They know that continuously fighting against the competition for the best model isn’t sustainable nor fun. They use their adoption advantage now to push from model to product. That allows them to focus on building the best integrations such as the Apps SDK now while just making sure their model is “on par” with the competition.
Plus, they know how to get that “aha, that’s how it’s done effect”, even amongst people thinking hard about what the next big LLM powered company could be.
All I’m saying, respect OpenAI. You really are winning.
And if you missed it, here’s the introduction video to Apps in ChatGPT:
Am I the only one who doesn’t feel too comfortable with OpenAI slowly taking over the entire SAAS market? The Apps SDK seems bigger than people think, people won’t open Canva anymore, just use it within ChatGPT. Absolutely genius move @OpenAI
It bothers me too. But then again, f.ex. these companies know that if a competitor has an integration and you now, then people will move to the competitor and you’ll get obsolete. Masterplan by @OpenAI
ahh yes, all the other companies (and users) being ok with OpenAI acting as a man-in-the-middle I don’t see it – you guys are not WeChat