Some developers say OpenAI's GPT Store is a mixed bag, with revenue sharing reserved for a tiny number of GPT creators in an invite-only pilot program in the US
Lauren Goode / Wired :
Context & Ripple Effects
The store launched with a plan to share revenue with creators, but developers later reported weak discovery, no user analytics and no way to charge directly. This update shows that the promised monetization layer remains far narrower than the original revenue-sharing plan.
Opening custom GPT creation and access to all users widened the potential audience, yet it did not establish an open creator business model. The invite-only pilot follows earlier developer complaints about limited users and missing analytics.
First-order effects
- Only a small, US-based group of invited GPT creators can test OpenAI revenue sharing; most builders still lack a direct store payout path.
- Developers must evaluate GPT Store participation with limited visibility into distribution and monetization rather than treating it as a broadly available channel.
Second-order effects
- The restricted pilot weakens incentives for independent developers to invest heavily in store-specific GPTs, particularly after the store was opened to free users without a corresponding open monetization program.
- OpenAI retains control over which creator formats and engagement patterns receive payouts, making selection into its program a more important commercial gate than simply publishing a GPT.
Third-order effects
- If payout access remains selective, the GPT Store may develop less like an open app marketplace and more like a curated distribution layer in which the platform sets both discovery and creator economics.
- The case underscores that AI application commercialization depends on platform governance—eligibility, analytics and payment rules—not merely on the ability to create a custom assistant.
The trend: AI platforms are expanding creator-facing distribution faster than they are opening durable, transparent monetization for the developers who supply specialized experiences.