OpenAI's ChatGPT faced user backlash recently following instances where its AI chatbot suggested third-party applications, such as Peloton, in conversations unrelated to the suggested service. Users, including paid subscribers, interpreted these suggestions as intrusive advertisements, prompting OpenAI to issue clarifications.
The situation gained prominence after Yuchen Jin, co-founder of AI startup Hyberbolic and a paid ChatGPT Pro subscriber, shared a screenshot on social media platform X. The screenshot depicted ChatGPT recommending the Peloton app during a discussion about an Elon Musk podcast and xAI, subjects entirely unconnected to fitness. Jin's post, which garnered nearly 462,000 views, sparked widespread concern among users regarding the potential introduction of advertising, particularly for those paying a premium subscription fee.
Daniel McAuley, OpenAI's data lead for ChatGPT, responded to the online discourse, stating that the app suggestions were not advertisements and lacked any financial component. McAuley clarified on X that these were "only a suggestion to install Peloton's app" as part of an app discovery feature. He acknowledged that the "lack of relevancy" in the suggestions contributed to a "bad/confusing experience" and indicated that OpenAI was "iterating on the suggestions and UX" (user experience).
An OpenAI spokesperson further confirmed to TechCrunch that the observed behavior was part of ongoing tests to surface applications within ChatGPT conversations. This testing aligns with OpenAI's October announcement of a new app platform, which stated that integrated apps would "fit naturally" into user interactions and respond to natural language. However, some users reported persistent, irrelevant suggestions, such as Spotify recommendations despite using Apple Music, highlighting the current challenges in contextual integration.
The inability for users to disable these app suggestions has contributed to their perception as intrusive. This user sentiment could influence the broader adoption of OpenAI's strategy to integrate apps directly within ChatGPT, potentially impacting the company's vision for the platform to offer an experience akin to a device's native app store. Currently, ChatGPT app integrations are in pilot testing and are accessible to logged-in users outside the EU, Switzerland, and the U.K. OpenAI's stated partners for this platform include Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, and Zillow.
