OpenAI is reportedly in the early stages of developing a social media platform that aims to incorporate artificial intelligence features. According to recent reports, the San Francisco-based AI company is strategizing on how to embed AI functionalities into the new application, although specifics regarding how this will be executed remain unclear. The emerging platform is expected to rival existing social media giants such as Elon Musk’s X, previously known as Twitter, and the various offerings under Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg. It is noteworthy that both X and Meta have introduced AI enhancements on their respective platforms recently. This news comes on the heels of OpenAI’s announcement of its GPT-4.1 family of AI models.
OpenAI’s Potential Social App May Leverage ChatGPT
Technology News has reported that OpenAI is in the process of creating a social network similar to X. Citing multiple undisclosed sources, the article indicates that an internal prototype of the platform has been developed. This prototype is said to utilize ChatGPT’s capabilities, particularly its GPT-4o image-generation feature. The social elements of the platform may include a public feed where users can share the images they create.
Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has sought input on the prototype from individuals outside the company. However, it remains uncertain whether the final offering will be a standalone app or merely an enhancement of the existing ChatGPT service. Comparatively, OpenAI’s video generation platform, Sora, incorporates a similar feed but does not provide a full social experience, as content creators remain unacknowledged on the feed page.
Initial indications suggest that OpenAI’s approach to social media could focus on blending an AI platform with social features, rather than establishing a pure social networking experience with integrated AI like X, Facebook, or Instagram.
OpenAI’s move into the social media arena could also intensify its competition with X and Meta. Musk, the owner of X, has been critical of Altman and the profit-driven model of OpenAI. Previously, Musk filed a lawsuit against the company and even attempted to acquire it, to which Altman humorously responded, “no thank you,” in a post, while jesting about buying Twitter for $9.74 billion instead.
Earlier this year, reports indicated that Meta was planning to introduce a standalone Meta AI application to compete directly with ChatGPT. In response, Altman acknowledged the competitive landscape, stating, “ok fine maybe we’ll do a social app.”
