OpenAI's App Suggestions Stir Ad Concerns
- Sarah Ruivivar
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 20 hours ago
Oh dear, OpenAI!
A recent kerfuffle has users buzzing after a ChatGPT conversation suggested installing the Peloton app. Many feared ads had snuck into the chatbot, even for those shelling out $200 monthly for the Pro Plan. Yikes!
Yuchen Jin, co-founder of AI startup Hyperbolic, shared a screenshot on X, showing this unexpected suggestion, and it went viral with nearly 462,000 views. Users were not amused, especially since they expected an ad-free experience at such a premium price.
OpenAI’s data lead, Daniel McAuley, quickly clarified that the suggestion wasn’t an ad but a misguided attempt at app discovery. He admitted the irrelevance of the suggestion made it a confusing experience and promised improvements.
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Despite the clarification, users remain wary. Even relevant suggestions might feel like ads, as they direct users to paid products. Plus, the inability to turn off these suggestions adds to the frustration.
This hiccup could impact OpenAI’s ambitions to replace traditional app stores with integrated apps within ChatGPT. If users find these suggestions intrusive, they might jump ship to competitor chatbots.
Currently, these app integrations are in pilot testing and available to users outside the EU, Switzerland, and the U.K. OpenAI partners with big names like Booking.com, Canva, and Zillow, but they’ll need to tread carefully to keep users happy and avoid further backlash.
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