Lost in the AI Supermarket?
I checked out some of the goods sitting on the store shelves of the newly launched GPT store.
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This week, it's all about the Custom GPT Store, launched by OpenAI a little over a week ago. OpenAI, still one of the most popular generative AI companies, has taken a significant leap with this new venture. Think of it as the Apple App Store but for custom applications.
In our previous editions, we've extensively explored the concept of pre-prompting LLMs to act in specific ways – be it as a Strict master, a character like Tony Soprano, or an expert in literature. When you engage with a general model like ChatGPT, it applies broad knowledge to provide outputs that are similar across various users. A pre-prompted or custom model, however, is fine-tuned for a very specific task.
This approach has been a cornerstone in our first year of life with LLMs, where users across the globe have created their own specialized chatbots. And now, with the launch of the Chat GPT store, it has just gotten a whole lot easier to access and distribute custom GPTs.
Let's embark on a journey down the aisles of this AI supermarket, and in an attempt to simplify matters, I will divide a few of the currently available custom GPTs into 'useful' or 'not useful' categories.
But first, what is the Custom GPT Store?
Imagine walking into a digital marketplace, where every stall and shelf is laden with specialized AI tools, each tailored to a unique aspect of a specific field. This is the essence of the Custom GPT Store.
At the heart of this innovation is the recognition that one size does not fit all in the realm of AI. While general LLMs like ChatGPT offer a broad range of knowledge and capabilities, they may not always align perfectly with niche or specialized requirements.
One of the most striking aspects of the Custom GPT Store is its accessibility. OpenAI has ensured that building a custom GPT doesn't require deep technical expertise. Users can create a GPT with straightforward instructions and relevant data. This democratization of AI tool creation opens doors for individuals and businesses, regardless of their coding proficiency.
The Custom GPT Store is a collection of AI tools, but it is also a step towards enhanced personalization, bending to the curves of individual needs.
Exploring the Custom GPT Store
As I strolled down the virtual aisles of the Custom GPT Store I noticed a great variety and diversity of AI tools on display. Let me introduce you to a few examples.
GPT Store Finder
This one might just be my favorite. If you have a store, of course, you need a store clerk to guide you through it all. The GPT Store Finder is highly useful and will be the natural starting point for shopping sprees.
Books: A Literary Haven
Then, there's the 'Books' chatbot, a haven for book lovers. This AI assistant is like a personal librarian, offering book recommendations based on your reading history, mood, and preferred genres. For book clubs, students, or casual readers, 'Books' is an innovative way to explore the world of literature. Filed under "useful” as well.
Automated Blog Post Writer
This one I got into play for this very post. The great part about it is that the name isn’t accurate as we’re not looking at an automated writer here. Instead, we have a sparring partner who initially will ask relevant questions of topic, style, structure, etc. helping the human blog post writer forward. I’ll say it’s useful, but not if you’re looking for something fully automated.
Sommelier AI: Your Digital Wine Expert
Shifting gears, I recently explored how AI assistants could be an aid in other aspects of life. Just a few days ago, I found myself preparing for a dinner out. While I enjoy wine, I haven't dedicated time to learning about it. That's where the Sommelier AI came in handy. Before heading out, I uploaded the restaurant's wine list to the AI for recommendations. However, a snag occurred: the online wine list wasn't updated, leaving me with a different selection at the restaurant. This experience was a valuable reminder that AI tools shouldn't be used merely to feign expertise. Rather, they should serve as a means to gain genuine knowledge and insights, like understanding the nuances of wine. “Useful“ - if used correctly.
Crafting a logo is no small feat, with corporations often investing heavily in the development of new logos and corporate visual identities. The emergence of AI logo creators has introduced a new dynamic to this process. Please meet Logo Creator:
This interaction with Logo Creator was quite revealing. One of the major advantages of the AI logo creator is its speed in generating designs and the ease of moving forward swiftly. However, it's important to note that while it offers a quick starting point, achieving the necessary caliber of work seen from iconic logo designers like for instance Milton Glaser requires several iterations and refinements, if possible at all. This lands me on a “somewhat useful“ evaluation.
In conclusion
To wrap up, this article has only just begun to explore the breadth of the GPT store. With an abundance of apps yet to be discovered and limited time, the journey is far from over. Despite occasional shortcomings, the concept of custom GPTs and the GPT Store represents a significant shift.
One of its key advantages is reducing the need for extensive interactions with ChatGPT for each query. The introduction of the GPT Store signals OpenAI's vision of integrating Custom GPTs extensively into our digital lives. However, we must be cautious of the potential for generic offerings. On a positive note, the GPT Store fosters a democratic environment where users can share their creations, inspiring others and igniting a cascade of innovative ideas. Our creative participation and ongoing thinking about how we create custom GPTs are crucial to me.
And then there’s also the topic of payment to the creators of custom GPTs. To access the Custom GPTs users need a plus subscription, so for now money goes to OpenAI and we’ll just have to wait and see what the OpenAI creator economy and potential revenue shares will look like.
It would be easy to get lost in the AI Supermarket just remember that the GPT store finder is there to help you out. Thanks for reading along and have fun in the Supermarket.
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The /promptcollective was founded by Jes Brandhøj (Denmark) and Hannes Jakobsen (Germany). We're on the lookout for like-minded enthusiasts. If you're passionate about the AI-creative nexus, reach out at join@promptcollective.xyz.