How to Use ChatGPT to Create an App: A Step-by-Step Guide

In November 2023, OpenAI, the world-leading AI lab behind ChatGPT, launched GPTs, a solution that enables users to create their own AI-driven apps. Yes, you heard that right, ChatGPT can create an app through a solution known as the GPT Builder.

Expanding ChatGPT’s capabilities far beyond AI writing software, ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Enterprise users can share their custom GPTs via the GPT Store, OpenAI’s equivalent of the App Store.

It is worth noting that you can earn money from GPTs when users download them from the GPT Store, though this feature is currently limited to US-based builders who’ve created popular GPT apps.

Do you have an exciting idea for a chatbot that you’d like to bring to life with the GPT Store?

In this guide, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to use ChatGPT to create an app with the GPT Builder.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Creating Apps with ChatGPT: No Programming Knowledge Required
3. How to Add Your GPT to the Store
4. Key Benefits of Using ChatGPT for Creating an App
5. The Bottom Line
6. FAQs
7. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. Key Takeaways
2. Creating Apps with ChatGPT: No Programming Knowledge Required
3. How to Add Your GPT to the Store
Show Full Guide
4. Key Benefits of Using ChatGPT for Creating an App
5. The Bottom Line
6. FAQs
7. References

Creating Apps with ChatGPT: No Programming Knowledge Required

Can ChatGPT write code for an app? The answer is yes, it can. One of the exciting things about GPTs is that you don’t need to know how to code to create an application; it simply does it all for you.

With the GPT Builder, you can build apps in natural language – no programming skills are required.

Creating an app from scratch is pretty straightforward. Simply tell GPT Builder what you want your application to do, and it will work with you to help produce your app.

This gives non-technical users a valuable opportunity to develop innovative AI applications and earn money with them.

But how long does it take to build an app? With the GPT Builder, you can create an LLM-powered end-user app in minutes.

Below, we’re going to look at how to build an app using ChatGPT with step-by-step instructions detailing each stage of the process.

Step 1: Open the GPT Builder

When using ChatGPT to create an app, you first need to open the GPT Builder, which is essentially a ChatGPT-enabled app builder. You can do this by clicking the link to open it directly or by loading up ChatGPT on the OpenAI website, selecting the Explore GPTs option, and clicking the Create button in the top right-hand corner of the screen.

This will take you to the window where you can start building your GPT. The GPT Builder offers two main windows where you can build your app: Create and Configure.

Create Pane: 

Configure Pane:

For new users, we recommend starting with the Create tab to build an app because you can do so simply by entering written instructions.

Step 2: Create and Refine Your GPT

Now, it’s time to start configuring your GPT and building your app from scratch. The first step to do this is to ask yourself what capabilities you want your custom GPT to have and what problems you want it to solve.

If you’re unsure about this, you can ask ChatGPT or the GPT Builder for help with generating ChatGPT app ideas whenever you want to create a new app.

The results were as follows:

This was a bit too vague, so we asked GPT Builder for more ideas. It gave us a list of 10 potential use cases to work with.

Here are the results:

This is just one example of the type of back-and-forth you can have with GPT Builder to create an idea.

You could modify this in a number of ways.

After you’ve decided what your GPT will do, the solution will allow you to choose a name and logo. You can also upload your own logo.

Once this is done you can start refining the technical specifications of the app.

Step 3: Configure the Technical Specifications of the App

Now it’s time to start creating the technical specifications for the mobile app.

Knowing how to build an app with ChatGPT and the GPT Builder comes down to patience and taking the time to tell GPT Builder what you want your app to do.

It’s worth noting that you can see how your GPT looks on the right-hand side of the screen at any time.

For instance, to build the technical specifications for our test app, we entered the main instructions:

These instructions gave GPT Builder an idea of what we were looking to achieve with our app.

Then, to make the app interface more user-friendly, we decided to assign some conversation starters and prewritten prompt buttons that would allow users to view exercises for different muscle groups in a single click.

We decided to test our conversation starters by clicking on the new “Suggest a workout for chest” button.

Here are the results:

As you can see, the newly created Workout Wizard provided us with a basic list of exercises and repetitions we could use as part of a workout program.

Step 4: Other Options for Refining and Improving Your App

Now that you know the basics about how to create an app with the ChatGPT app development tool, you may want to refine the app further.

If we want to expand on Workout Wizard’s capabilities, we can give users the option to sign up for a third-party service, such as a website or newsletter. We can also enable users to save personalized workouts.

Depending on the type of app you’ve created, you may want to upload additional files or link relevant application programming interfaces (APIs) for the GPT to interact with via the Configure tab.

You can also use GPT Builder’s integration with DALL-E 3 to grant users image generation capabilities, so they can create images from scratch.

How to Add Your GPT to the Store

Once you’re happy with the GPT that you’ve built with the ChatGPT app creator, you can then share it via the GPT store:

Created GPTs will be displayed alongside your Builder Profile.

You can edit your builder profile:

Here, you can personalize your profile, choosing whether or not to show your name, link domains, and opt in or out of receiving feedback emails.

Key Benefits of Using ChatGPT for Creating an App

Using ChatGPT to create an app offers a number of core benefits.

These are as follows:

The Bottom Line

OpenAI’s launch of the GPT Store has made developing AI-powered applications more accessible to developers and users than ever before. Now you know how to make an app using ChatGPT, the sky’s the limit in terms of what you can create with the platform.

The sheer range of use cases spans from lightweight AI assistants to specialized research assistants and planning apps that improve user productivity and provide a solid foundation for creativity and innovation.

At the same time, creating a GPT provides a valuable opportunity for organizations to promote their websites and generate new leads.

When revenue sharing is launched, it could potentially become a significant revenue stream.

FAQs