ChatGPT soll zum App-Betriebssystem werden

Nick Turley, Head of ChatGPT at OpenAI, envisions transforming the chatbot into a full-fledged application platform akin to an operating system. Since joining OpenAI in 2022, Turley has led the product’s explosive growth to 800 million weekly active users. Now, he aims to evolve ChatGPT beyond a conversational interface into a central hub for third-party apps, drawing inspiration from the rise of web browsers as de facto operating systems over the past decade. Much like browsers host diverse web apps, Turley sees ChatGPT becoming a space where users can access tools for coding, writing, shopping, travel, and more—without leaving the chat environment. OpenAI is advancing this vision through new app integrations with companies like Expedia, DoorDash, and Uber, enabling direct transactions within ChatGPT and capturing revenue from e-commerce activity. This shift positions ChatGPT not just as a productivity tool but as a potential digital marketplace. To support this ecosystem, OpenAI is developing new technical and privacy features, including partitioned memory to allow users fine-grained control over which data apps can access. Transparency remains a priority: developers must justify data requests, and users will be informed about what information is shared. While OpenAI hasn’t confirmed plans for a standalone browser, it is reportedly working with Jony Ive and Apple veterans on a new hardware ecosystem, signaling a broader ambition to own the end-to-end AI experience. Turley frames this evolution as central to OpenAI’s nonprofit mission of advancing artificial general intelligence (AGI) for humanity. Rather than viewing the consumer business as a mere funding mechanism, he argues that ChatGPT itself is the delivery vehicle—making AGI accessible and useful in everyday life, from helping seniors learn coding to supporting neurodiverse individuals through social interaction modeling. The company is also navigating complex questions around app distribution and fairness. While OpenAI hasn’t ruled out paid prioritization, it emphasizes a long-term, iterative approach, engaging developers and users before finalizing policies. The goal is to maintain a high-quality user experience, ensuring that app recommendations are relevant and trustworthy. By integrating apps directly into the core ChatGPT experience—rather than relegating them to a separate store—OpenAI aims to create a seamless, interactive environment where developers can build meaningful, AI-native applications. This strategy could redefine how people interact with software, turning conversations into workflows and services. Industry experts see this as a bold but necessary step. Analysts note that OpenAI’s move mirrors the platformization strategies of Apple and Google, though with a stronger emphasis on AI-native functionality. The success of this vision will depend on balancing innovation with privacy, fairness, and user trust. If executed well, ChatGPT could become the first AI-native operating system—reshaping digital interaction and positioning OpenAI at the heart of the next computing era.