OpenAI plans app store for AI software, The Information reports

 OpenAI, creator of the widely popular chatbot ChatGPT, plans to launch a marketplace that will allow developers to sell their AI models built on top of its own AI technology, news site the Information reported on Tuesday, citing people with knowledge of discussions at the company.

Enterprise customers using ChatGPT often tailor the technology to their specific uses, which range from identifying financial fraud from online transaction data to answering questions about specific markets based on internal documents. According to the news report, makers of such models could offer them to other businesses through OpenAI's proposed marketplace.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman disclosed the potential plans during a meeting with developers in London last month, the report said.

Such a marketplace could compete with app stores run by some of the company's customers and technology partners - including Salesforce (CRM.N) and Microsoft (MSFT.O) - and help OpenAI's technology reach a broader customer base.

OpenAI did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The Information also reported that two of the company's customers, Aquant, which makes software that manufacturers use to guide customers through device maintenance and repairs, and education app maker Khan Academy, might be interested in offering their ChatGPT-powered AI models on OpenAI's marketplace.

Since its release late last year, hundreds of businesses have adopted ChatGPT to automate tasks and increase efficiency. Companies are also racing to offer their customers new tools and capabilities based on the AI software's advanced large language models (LLMs).