Beyond the model: AI’s app store moment

We’re seeing an ‘app store moment’ for AI and it’s changing where value is created.

OpenAI’s latest updates introduced apps and SDKs directly into ChatGPT, turning what was once a closed model into an open platform. SDKs, the toolkits that allow developers to build on top of a system, mark a pivotal shift: the power of AI is no longer defined by who has the strongest model, but by who can create the most useful ecosystem around it.

This is a transition from raw intelligence to applied intelligence. Models like Claude Sonnet 4.5 continue to raise the bar on performance, but the real story this month is about packaging and user experience. The companies that win in this next phase won’t just build better models, they’ll build better ways for people to use them.

We’re already seeing the first enterprise patterns emerge. Walmart’s partnership with OpenAI to create AI-first shopping experiences shows how conversational interfaces can close the loop between browsing and buying. OpenAI’s new ‘Buy it in ChatGPT’ feature takes that one step further, embedding commerce directly into the interaction layer. It’s a glimpse of what’s next: AI as the front end for how consumers engage and act.

The shift underway isn’t just about technology, it’s about reach and usability.
This transformation is only just beginning.

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