When Nick Turley joined OpenAI in 2022, his mission was to turn research into a commercial product. Today, with 800 million weekly active users, Turley is chasing a bigger goal: transforming ChatGPT from a mere chatbot into a new kind of operating system.
Article contents:
- Introduction
- The New Operating System Vision
- Inspiration from Web Browsers
- An Application Ecosystem
- A Golden Opportunity for Developers
- Privacy and Data Challenges
- Nonprofit Mission and Commercial Product
- The Future of Devices and Browsers
- Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction
In an exclusive interview on the sidelines of OpenAI’s annual developer conference in San Francisco, Nick Turley, Head of ChatGPT Product, discussed the future of the platform. Turley believes the current product, despite its power, is still in the “Command Line Era” and lacks the ease of use provided by modern operating systems. The goal now is to evolve into a comprehensive platform that hosts various applications and services.
The New Operating System Vision
Turley explains that the upcoming evolution will make ChatGPT resemble an operating system where users come to use applications. “If you want to write, there’s an app for that. If you want to code, or interact with goods and services, there are dedicated applications.” OpenAI realizes it cannot build everything by itself, so partnering with companies like Uber, Coursera, Expedia, and Booking.com is the path to delivering comprehensive services.
Inspiration from Web Browsers
Turley draws his vision from the evolution of web browsers over the past decade. Browsers have transformed from simple page-viewing tools into actual operating systems inside of which we do most of our work via web apps. Turley believes ChatGPT will evolve in a similar way to change how people interact with software.
An Application Ecosystem
Launching applications within the platform aligns with OpenAI’s desire to turn ChatGPT into an e-commerce destination. Having food delivery or travel booking apps will enable the company to facilitate transactions and capture a share of the revenue, opening up a massive business source for both third parties and the company itself.
A Golden Opportunity for Developers
This shift offers developers an opportunity to reach a massive user base of 800 million users during their daily conversations. Applications will not just be separate tools, but part of the core experience, allowing for the creation of interactive experiences that go beyond simple data-connected chatbots.
Privacy and Data Challenges
With this expansion, privacy concerns come to the forefront. Turley stresses that the company will require developers to collect the minimum amount of data and is working on building features such as “Partitioned Memory” that allow users to grant granular data access. For instance, you might want to share your health data with a medical app, but not with a music app.
Nonprofit Mission and Commercial Product
Responding to concerns that the commercial side might overshadow the company’s nonprofit mission, Turley views ChatGPT as the “delivery vehicle” for OpenAI’s mission to spread artificial general intelligence (AGI) to benefit humanity. For him, the commercial product is the practical expression of how people benefit from this advanced technology in their daily lives.
The Future of Devices and Browsers
Turley did not deny rumors that the company is working on its own web browser or devices in collaboration with designer Jony Ive, noting that the company is thinking about a “family of products” interconnected by an identity and personalization layer, and that their ambition goes beyond simply being a chat app company.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Will ChatGPT replace Windows or Mac?
Answer: Not literally, but it aims to be the layer through which you interact with services and software, similar to the role a browser currently plays.
Question: Will there be ads or paid applications to appear at the top?
Answer: The company is studying this matter carefully to ensure it does not negatively impact the user experience, but it does not rule out the possibility of paying for promotion in the future.
Question: How will the system handle competing apps (like Uber and Lyft)?
Answer: The current approach is to present both options to the user, or give priority to the app the person has previously used, while respecting user choices.
