OpenAI plans to turn ChatGPT into a 'superapp' with coding tools and AI agents ahead of IPO
OpenAI is preparing the biggest overhaul of ChatGPT since its 2022 launch, transforming the chatbot into a multi-tasking 'superapp' with coding tools and AI agents, the Financial Times reported on Sunday.
The superapp pivot
OpenAI is planning its most radical ChatGPT transformation yet, turning the world's most-used AI chatbot into a 'superapp' that can write code, generate images, and automate tasks, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing more than a dozen current and former employees. The overhaul, expected to roll out in the coming weeks, reflects a growing conviction inside the company that the future of AI lies not in chatbots that answer questions but in agents that perform tasks for users.
Chat is dead.
Short-term changes include new prompts and features directing users toward Codex, OpenAI's programming agent, and partner applications such as Canva and Booking.com. Over the longer term, the app is designed to automatically understand user intentions and select the right tools, eliminating the need for manual navigation.
Enterprise revenue push
The restructuring is part of a broader reorganisation at OpenAI as it redirects resources toward lucrative enterprise clients. Codex users are predominantly paying customers, and roughly 2 million businesses account for about 40% of OpenAI's revenue, a share the company expects to reach 50% by year-end, according to the FT. ChatGPT serves over 900 million weekly active users and has surpassed 50 million consumer subscribers, OpenAI announced earlier this year.
We are building a personal agent that can help you with everything in your life, personal or work.
Alexander Embiricos, a product manager for Codex, described a future where a single entity handles whatever the user needs, accessible across smartphone, PC, or web. The company views ChatGPT as a gateway to introduce higher-value products to its massive user base.
IPO timing and competitive pressure
The superapp push comes at a critical moment. Anthropic, founded in 2021 by former OpenAI employees, recently filed documents with the SEC for a Nasdaq listing and has gained momentum with its successful Claude Code product. OpenAI itself has been preparing a confidential IPO filing in the United States, Reuters reported in May, though CEO Sam Altman has said the company is not focused on a specific timeline and will go public when the moment is right.
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The broader AI agent race
OpenAI's move is part of a wider industry shift toward AI agents. Google recently announced similar plans under the name Gemini Spark, Microsoft demonstrated its personal agent Scout last week, and Apple is expected to unveil a new AI-powered version of Siri on Monday, partly based on Google Gemini. The term 'superapp', historically associated with Chinese platforms like WeChat that combine chat, shopping, and payments, is now being applied to this new generation of AI assistants.
Fidji Simo, who oversees the ChatGPT app at OpenAI, signalled the shift publicly in March, writing on X that companies go through phases of experimentation and realignment. On Thursday, OpenAI announced Dreaming, a memory system that stores information within ChatGPT to increase personalisation of results.
