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OpenAI is not the death of startups, it's a Wakeup Call! In the past days, many fellow entrepreneurs have reached out to me asking if I'm concerned about OpenAI's new offerings. There's a narrative spreading that thousands of startups will be killed by capabilities like custom chatbots and text generation revealed at DevDay. Like them, I've been following the OpenAI announcements closely. The launches of tools like custom GPTs have no doubt led some to predict the impending downfall of companies built on conversational AI. However, I believe this view misses the mark. The startups destined for disruption by OpenAI's offerings were likely already on borrowed time. Building a thin wrapper on top of an owned technology like GPT-4 was never going to be a sustainable business in the long-run. The value lies in building differentiated products with unique data and capabilities. There are a few key points we should keep in mind: ✅ Generative AI is more than just conversational interfaces. For the first time, we have technology mimicking human reasoning and creativity. The possibilities extend far beyond chatbots. ✅ Conversational interfaces are not necessarily the future. OpenAI's own usage data for ChatGPT shows declines after initial hype. A clickable UI can often be more efficient than typing sentences. ✅ There's a massive difference between a basic integration of LLMs and building an actual product. True startups solve real problems and meet needs. An intelligent interface is just one piece. For many companies, this moment is an opportunity, not a death sentence. The time has come to stop relying on third-party technology and double down on unique data, industry expertise, and product-market fit. The fundamentals haven't changed. Building a startup today still means making something people want. OpenAI expands what's possible, but ultimately we still need to identify real problems and develop complete solutions. Rather than the end, I see this as a wakeup call. A nudge to build differentiated products on owned technology, not thin layers on leased foundations. The startups that survive will be those that embrace OpenAI as an enabler, not a crutch. An amazing new technology to create value, not a shortcut. This is an exciting time full of possibility. OpenAI has raised the bar, but also opened up many new avenues. For startups willing to learn and adapt, the opportunities are endless. The only true death will come to those who fail to evolve. #OpenAI #startup #GenAI