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My First Million

5 App Ideas for ChatGPT's New App Store ft. Greg Isenberg

with Greg Isenberg

Published October 10, 2025
Visit Podcast Website

About This Episode

The host and Greg Isenberg discuss OpenAI's new ChatGPT app store and the significant opportunity it creates for entrepreneurs to build apps that live inside ChatGPT. They explain how in-chat app discovery works, show examples like design and real estate tools, and brainstorm specific app concepts including an AI tax assistant, a healthcare concierge, a meme generator, an "AI Grandma" advisor, and a credit score repair utility.

Topics Covered

Artificial intelligence Entrepreneurship Problem-first invention Product development Side hustles Branding and naming ChatGPT AI app store Financial technology Healthcare system

Disclaimer: We provide independent summaries of podcasts and are not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by any podcast or creator. All podcast names and content are the property of their respective owners. The views and opinions expressed within the podcasts belong solely to the original hosts and guests and do not reflect the views or positions of Summapod.

Quick Takeaways

  • OpenAI's new ChatGPT app store allows users to invoke third-party apps contextually inside ChatGPT, creating a major new distribution channel.
  • Discovery will often happen automatically when users ask ChatGPT for help, making built-in demand for well-positioned apps around common queries.
  • Examples like Figma, Canva, Coursera, and Zillow show how rich, interactive UIs can be embedded directly in ChatGPT's new canvas.
  • High-intent problems like taxes, healthcare discovery, K-1 organization, and credit repair are prime targets for lucrative AI apps.
  • Simple, narrowly focused utilities such as bank statement converters can generate substantial revenue and may migrate into ChatGPT as native apps.
  • Shipping an MVP for many of these ideas can realistically be done in days to a few weeks using AI coding tools and a lean approach.
  • Branding and domains that exactly match user intent (e.g., bankstatementconverter.com or repairmycreditscore.ai) can materially boost an app's success.
  • Personality-driven concepts like an "AI Grandma" show that emotional tone and brand can differentiate otherwise similar advice tools.

Podcast Notes

Setup: Special episode focused on ChatGPT's new app store and business opportunities

Why they are recording a special pod

Greg had recently been on the podcast showing various tools he uses[0:23]
• At the end of that earlier conversation, Greg casually mentioned ChatGPT's new app store, which the host had not yet seen
Decision to record a follow-up focused on the ChatGPT store[0:31]
• The host asks Greg to come back on and walk him through what is happening with the ChatGPT store in real time

Framing the conversation around business ideas

Because of the show's focus, the host asks Greg to share interesting business ideas within the ChatGPT store ecosystem[0:35]
• He explicitly wants ideas that listeners could potentially build as apps or plugins
Historical analogy to the early mobile app store[0:46]
• The host notes that when the first mobile app store came out, many of the biggest businesses emerged simply because they were early
• He suggests listeners could surmise from history that being early to a new app platform can create outsized opportunities

Overview of OpenAI Dev Day and the ChatGPT app store announcement

Recap of what was announced at Dev Day

Greg sets out to explain what happened, why it matters, and share ideas people should "steal"[0:57]
• He references OpenAI's Dev Day, described as OpenAI's big developer conference
Sam Altman's role and the launch[1:13]
• Greg says that at Dev Day, Sam Altman launched the ChatGPT app store

Figma example: turning sketches into designs inside ChatGPT

Description of Figma integration[1:16]
• Sam Altman demonstrated using Figma within ChatGPT, asking it to turn a hand-drawn sketch into a workable diagram
• Greg calls the capability "absolutely crazy" because ChatGPT can leverage Figma as an app without leaving the chat
ChatGPT as a mini intranet[1:36]
• Greg characterizes the change as turning ChatGPT into a "mini intranet" where you no longer need to leave ChatGPT if it can connect to external apps

How apps work inside ChatGPT: Coursera, canvas, and discovery

Coursera integration example

Using Coursera through ChatGPT[1:16]
• Greg mentions an example from one of OpenAI's teams using Coursera, where a user asks ChatGPT to teach them something about machine learning
• ChatGPT connects to Coursera, but the user has to explicitly connect and log into the app
Permission and data sharing warning[2:09]
• On video, ChatGPT shows a notice explaining how it uses data, that apps may introduce risk, and that data is shared with the apps

New ChatGPT canvas UI

From text-only to visual canvas[2:20]
• Greg explains that ChatGPT used to be only text, but now there is a canvas where users can consume content visually

App discovery inside ChatGPT and the scale of the opportunity

Two ways to find and use apps

Manual addition of apps[2:14]
• Greg says one way is to manually add apps within ChatGPT's interface
Contextual surfacing of apps (the exciting part)[2:14]
• The method Greg is more excited about is simply using ChatGPT normally and having relevant apps appear as suggestions when you ask for something
• He gives the example of asking to learn machine learning without having added Coursera; ChatGPT could then surface Coursera as an app to use
• He emphasizes that the big opportunity is to build apps that will be surfaced by ChatGPT when certain questions or intents are detected

User scale: 800 million weekly active users

Sam Altman's usage numbers[2:58]
• Greg reports that Sam Altman announced ChatGPT has 800 million weekly active users
Implication for app builders[3:00]
• He stresses that app builders can potentially get in front of 800 million people every week and sell them something

Live experimentation with design apps: Figma and Canva inside ChatGPT

Host tests using Figma inside ChatGPT

Turning a drawing into Figma[3:16]
• The host types into ChatGPT asking how to turn a drawing into a Figma file, adds the Figma app, and ChatGPT tells him how to do it

Logo design with Canva within ChatGPT

Invoking Canva to design a logo[3:27]
• The host prompts ChatGPT to design a new logo for his podcast "the Startup Ideas podcast" and realizes he should call Canva
Canva as a launch partner[3:50]
• Greg notes that Canva, which he describes as a $47 billion design tool, is one of the launch partners for the ChatGPT app store
• Canva connects as an app and, once logged in, can design logos directly inside ChatGPT using Canva's software
Quality of AI-generated logos[4:03]
• The host rates the generated logo around 6.5 out of 10 but sees it as a starting point he can iterate on
• Greg notes that AI design sometimes produces slightly strange fonts, and that multiple prompts are usually needed rather than a single perfect prompt
• They point out that ChatGPT offers options to review and select a design to continue editing, and the whole process took only a couple of seconds

Additional example: Zillow integration and emotional reaction to AI progress

Zillow as a ChatGPT app

Real estate search within ChatGPT[5:53]
• Greg mentions Zillow as another launch app, where you can see the full Zillow experience and use natural language with AI to interact with it

Mixed feelings of empowerment and irrelevance

Host reflects on personal reaction to AI tools[5:42]
• The host says he is in awe and recalls Sean's comment that every time he talks about this, he wonders if he is now all-powerful or completely irrelevant
• He says that is exactly how he feels when looking at these capabilities
Greg's perspective: depends on how you use the information[6:07]
• Greg responds that it depends what someone does with this information, implying that action and adaptation determine outcomes

Platform shifts and the analogy to web-to-mobile transition

Winners who made the web-to-mobile leap

History of Facebook's mobile transition[6:18]
• Greg notes that those who successfully shifted from web to mobile "crushed it" and recalls a time when Facebook had a bad mobile app and almost missed the leap
• He points out that Facebook is now a trillion-dollar company, underscoring how important that platform transition was

Potential magnitude of the ChatGPT platform

Possibility of a big new platform shift[6:12]
• Greg says it is not guaranteed but it is possible that ChatGPT's app platform becomes a big thing
• If it does become a big thing, he believes people will want to have an app in this ecosystem

Why custom GPTs flopped and why contextual apps are different

Reflection on previous custom GPT launch

Custom GPTs as a flop[6:47]
• Greg recalls that ChatGPT launched something called custom GPTs a couple of years ago, which he and the host agree was a flop
• The host tried making one and found it did not work well

Friction of manual app setup versus contextual use

No one wants to download apps or visit a GPT store[6:56]
• Greg argues that custom GPTs failed partly because people don't want to go to a store, set things up, and download apps
Contextual invocation is more powerful[7:06]
• He contrasts that with the new system where you just type what you want in ChatGPT and relevant apps are surfaced contextually
• He uses the example of asking for a logo design and having Canva or another app appear without pre-configuration, making discovery and usage much easier
• Greg emphasizes that the opportunity is huge precisely because customers do not need to set anything up

Investments and prior interest in plugin businesses

Host's experience with companies pivoting into ChatGPT plugins

Pivots that started to work[6:52]
• The host mentions investing in one or two companies that were not doing amazingly and then pivoted into ChatGPT plugins, after which they started "killing it"

Broader enthusiasm for plugin-style businesses

Alignment with previously discussed plugin ideas[7:51]
• They have previously discussed WordPress plugins and various plugin businesses, and the host reiterates his enthusiasm for these kinds of opportunities

App idea #1: AI Tax Guy and related financial admin utilities

Greg's list of 15 app ideas

Source of ideas: Idea Browser[7:56]
• Greg has 15 ideas he scraped from ideabrowser.com, an app he built, with some favorites highlighted

AI Tax Guy concept

Filing taxes via a simple prompt[8:19]
• The host asks about "AI tax guy", and Greg describes a scenario where you type "file my quarterly taxes" and the app presents a custom UI
• The UI would show deductions, auto-filled forms, and offer one-click filing inside ChatGPT
Connections to financial data sources[8:31]
• Greg envisions the app connecting to Stripe, Plaid, and Google Drive to pull relevant financial information
He predicts someone will build a "my tax guy" prompt app inside ChatGPT as a big opportunity[8:31]

Real-world example: bankstatementconverter.com

Description and revenue of bank statement converter app[8:46]
• Greg references a Twitter user who built an AI app called bankstatementconverter.com where users upload bank statements
• He says it makes around $40,000 to $50,000 a month in revenue
Niche but valuable problem solved[8:58]
• The host notes it is a very niche tool, but when someone needs it, they really need it

Host's K-1 problem and K-1 agent idea

Pain point: many K-1 forms scattered in email[9:08]
• The host explains he receives many K-1s due to investing in real estate and projects, often 60 to 80 forms, arriving from different vendors at different times
• He describes the pain of simply finding all the K-1s in Gmail when his wife prepares their taxes
Proposed solution: K-1 agent[9:45]
• He suggests an app that can "find all my K-1s in my Gmail fast" as an intriguing utility
• Greg responds enthusiastically, calling it a great idea and dubbing it "K-1 agent"
Simple UX example from bankstatementconverter[9:50]
• Greg describes bankstatementconverter.com's website as extremely simple, with a big button saying "convert to PDF"
• He likens its minimalist style to the Berkshire Hathaway website but for converting to PDF
Migration of such utilities into ChatGPT[10:12]
• Greg predicts that with the new ChatGPT app store, apps like bankstatementconverter will eventually live within ChatGPT
• He tells listeners who regretted not starting similar simple tools that they are still early and now is the time to build such utilities using ChatGPT's SDK

App idea #2: AI healthcare concierge

Problem: finding the right doctor within insurance constraints

Prompt-based doctor search[10:56]
• Greg proposes an app where a user can type: "Find me the best dermatologist near me that takes Blue Cross"
• The app would connect to services like ZocDoc and insurance networks to satisfy the query
UI and output[11:13]
• It would show an interactive local map and booking options, all from inside ChatGPT

Monetization and exit possibilities

Affiliate revenue and acquisition potential[11:11]
• Greg suggests monetizing via affiliate fees or having the app acquired by a larger player like ZocDoc
• He emphasizes the value of owning this kind of high-demand query within the ChatGPT ecosystem

Building and launching apps quickly using AI dev tools and Idea Browser

How Greg would build the healthcare concierge

Using his own product design firm[11:27]
• Greg says he is fortunate to have a design firm that builds such apps, and he would simply hire his own firm to build them
• He mentions they publicly announced they are building apps like these
Solo founder path using AI coding tools[11:41]
• If he did not have a firm and was a one-person operation, he would use tools like Claude Code or Cursor to build the app
Timeline to MVP and approval[11:46]
• Greg estimates two to three weeks to get something working really well for an MVP
• He adds that time is also needed to get approved by OpenAI, so total time might be around four weeks (about 30 days)

Idea Browser's "build this idea" feature

Internal tool to bootstrap new projects[13:09]
• Greg describes a "build this idea" button on Idea Browser that he says he has never shown publicly before
• The feature can automatically generate ad creative, a brand package, a landing page, a content calendar, an email funnel system, email sequences, and a lead magnet with optimized prompts
Still requires human oversight[12:50]
• Greg acknowledges a meme of a meathead commanding AI to build a $100 million business in 3 days without mistakes, and contrasts that with reality
• He says tools like his still need a human; people err when they prompt something and then wonder why customers aren't arriving
• He emphasizes that you must review, ensure it works, and optimize further even if prompts and assets are generated for you
Greg's launch plan for a new app[13:27]
• He would likely use Idea Browser for a first version, use Claude, set up email capture, and attempt to launch something within 30 days

App idea #3: Meme generator optimized for ChatGPT queries

Rising importance of memes

Memes in the AI age[15:32]
• Greg states that memes are becoming more and more popular, especially in an AI age

Owning the "make a meme about X" intent

Monetization potential of a meme app[15:39]
• He believes whoever owns the "make a meme about [topic]" query inside ChatGPT probably makes a few million dollars a year

Why a specialized meme app is still needed

Current capability vs optimization[15:48]
• In response to a question about whether ChatGPT or Perplexity can already do this, Greg says you can do it in ChatGPT but it's not optimized
• He reiterates that this lack of optimization is exactly the opportunity for developers
Why OpenAI needs third-party apps[16:03]
• Greg asserts that Dev Day happened partly because ChatGPT realizes they need external apps to keep people on the platform longer
• He also says OpenAI realized they can't do everything themselves

App idea #4: AI Grandma as a warm, blunt life advisor

Concept and emotional positioning of AI Grandma

Alternative to expert-style advice[16:26]
• In response to "What's AI Grandma?", Greg says many people feel overwhelmed and might not want advice from Andrew Huberman, Greg himself, or the host
• He imagines an "AI Grandma" that gives old-school, warm, blunt, human advice
Branding around an 85-year-old woman[16:41]
• He suggests building a brand around an 85-year-old woman who bakes apple pies, embodying a comforting archetype

Feasibility and build time

Active development of ideas[16:50]
• Greg says they are actively building these kinds of apps both for themselves and for clients
Timeline for simple vs complex apps[16:03]
• He notes AI Grandma could be built in a few days, whereas a K-1-focused tool would be more complicated
• Overall, MVPs could range from a few days to 30 days depending on complexity

App idea #5: Credit score repair assistant and domain strategy

Host's personal credit score story and pain

Low credit score from an unpaid ambulance bill[17:27]
• The host shares that he had a very low credit score because he unknowingly hadn't paid for an ambulance ride years earlier
• When he checked, his credit score was about 580, and he couldn't get a mortgage as a result
Difficulty finding trustworthy credit repair help[18:03]
• He searched for ways to improve his credit or hire a firm to do the work and found the credit repair industry incredibly scammy
• This experience makes him eager for a better way to improve credit scores

Greg's view on the credit repair opportunity

Widespread need and search intent[17:53]
• Greg says he has a similar problem, with only a fair credit score despite starting and selling companies
• He argues that banks and Experian-type companies are not at the forefront of technology
• He believes many people search "how do I fix my credit score", and says that keyword volume is worth a lot of money
Design of the credit repair app[18:55]
• He imagines ChatGPT detecting user intent around credit repair and surfacing this app
• The app would connect to Equifax or Experian, provide an interactive UI with dispute templates, score simulation sliders, and next-step action plans

Importance of domain names and branding

Need for a strong, descriptive domain[19:04]
• Greg says this is one of the more no-brainer examples but requires a strong domain like repairmycreditscore.com
• He cites bankstatementconverter.com as an example of a good, descriptive domain contributing to success
Cost expectations for premium domains[19:07]
• Greg estimates a startup might need to pay $10,000 to $20,000 for a high-quality .com domain in this space

SEO implications of .com vs .ai domains

Greg's Manhattan vs Williamsburg analogy[19:39]
• Asked whether .ai domains do as well as .coms for SEO, Greg says .com is like Manhattan, while .ai is like Williamsburg
• He says .ai is still cool, but "Manhattan is Manhattan"

Gifting repairmycreditscore.ai to inspire builders

Domain availability and purchase[19:58]
• The host notes that repairmycreditscore.ai is available, costing about $50 for the first year
Plan to give the domain to a listener[20:00]
• Greg suggests they buy the domain and give it to someone who engages with the episode to inspire them to build the app
• He clarifies the recipient would own it outright with no equity expectations; it is simply a $50 gift
Light-hearted discussion of future thanks[21:04]
• Greg jokes that if the app reaches $1 million a year, a $100 DoorDash gift card would be a sufficient return
• He humorously specifies he would want a large quantity of unbreaded Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets, about four pounds, as his reward

Closing remarks

Encouragement and gratitude

Greg's hope for listeners[21:09]
• Greg thanks the host for having him on and says he hopes listeners are inspired
Host's sign-off[20:59]
• The host thanks Greg and ends the conversation

Lessons Learned

Actionable insights and wisdom you can apply to your business, career, and personal life.

1

New platform shifts, like the ChatGPT app store, create outsized opportunities for those who move early and design specifically for the platform's unique discovery and interaction patterns.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where in your industry do you see an emerging platform or channel that most people are still ignoring?
  • • How could you design a product or service that is native to that platform's strengths rather than just porting an existing idea over?
  • • What concrete step could you take in the next 7 days to test an early-mover idea on a new platform?
2

Build around high-intent, painful problems that people are already searching for-like taxes, healthcare, or credit repair-so your product sits directly in the path of existing demand.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What recurring administrative or financial headaches do you or your peers complain about that remain poorly solved?
  • • How might you validate whether people are already searching for solutions to that problem (e.g., keyword volume, forums, support tickets)?
  • • What is one narrow, high-intent query you could aim to "own" with a simple product or service?
3

Use AI tools to accelerate development, but treat them as force multipliers rather than replacements for human judgment, iteration, and quality control.

Reflection Questions:

  • • In your current projects, which tasks could AI reasonably draft or scaffold for you while you retain final judgment?
  • • How can you build a simple review loop so that AI-generated outputs are always checked and improved before they reach customers?
  • • What small experiment could you run this week using an AI coding or content tool to shorten your time-to-MVP?
4

Clear, descriptive branding and domains that match user intent (like bankstatementconverter.com or repairmycreditscore.ai) can significantly improve discoverability and trust for simple, utility-style products.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Does the name of your current or planned product immediately communicate the problem it solves to a stranger?
  • • How might a more literal, intent-matching name or domain improve click-through rates or word-of-mouth for your offering?
  • • What alternative names or domains could you brainstorm that more closely mirror the exact phrases your target users would type or say?
5

Emotional positioning and personality-such as a warm "AI Grandma" instead of a clinical expert-can differentiate products that otherwise deliver similar functional value.

Reflection Questions:

  • • How do you want users to feel when they interact with your product, and does your current brand voice actually create that feeling?
  • • Where could a different persona or tone (e.g., mentor, peer, grandparent) make your solution more approachable to overwhelmed users?
  • • What is one simple change you could make to your product's copy or interface this week to better align with the emotional experience you want to deliver?

Episode Summary - Notes by Morgan

5 App Ideas for ChatGPT's New App Store ft. Greg Isenberg
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