OpenAI’s GPT Store, a marketplace for AI-powered chatbots, restricts users to OpenAI’s models. This has given startups ideas for creating alternatives, like FlowGPT. Let’s figure out what FlowGPT is and how it is useful.
What is FlowGPT?
FlowGPT aims to be a central hub for various generative AI models like Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, Meta’s Llama 2, and OpenAI’s DALL-E 3. It also provides user interfaces for interacting with these models. Through FlowGPT, users can build and share their own Generative AI (GenAI) apps, potentially earning tips for their contributions.
Founded by Jay Dang and Lifan Wang, FlowGPT seeks to empower users to create and share GenAI apps readily. Dang emphasizes reducing the barrier to entry for AI use. FlowGPT is envisioned as an ecosystem encompassing infrastructure, creator tools, a marketplace, and a GenAI app user community.
User Experience and App Functionality
Users discover and interact with GenAI apps on FlowGPT through a chat window similar to ChatGPT. Users can input prompts, rate apps, share conversations, and tip creators. Each app includes a description, creation date, usage statistics, and the recommended model.
At its core, a FlowGPT app is a prompt designed to influence a model’s response in a specific way. Some examples include “Scared Girl from Horror Movie” (prompting a horror story) and “TitleTuner” (optimizing headlines). Importantly, the success of these apps mainly depends on the chosen underlying model’s capabilities and limitations.
Ethical Concerns and Risks with the Apps
A big concern with FlowGPT is its prevalence of apps designed to avoid safety measures built into underlying models. Examples include unrestricted “DAN” prompts and apps like WormGPT (purportedly for malware coding). Apps offering therapy or health advice pose another risk, as GenAI models are dangerously unreliable in these domains.
- Moderation Issues and Conflicting Views
FlowGPT offers reporting mechanisms for offensive apps and a “sensitive content” toggle. However, the platform’s homepage suggests a moderation problem. While FlowGPT claims to be ethical and implement risk reduction policies, the current state of the platform raises red flags.
Investment and Future Plans
Despite some concerns, FlowGPT has secured a $10 million investment. Investors see FlowGPT leading the way in GenAI by offering extensive choices and flexibility. However, some model developers prioritizing AI safety might disagree.
FlowGPT is developing mobile apps, a revenue-sharing model for creators, and expanding its team. They believe they’re on the right track and aim to create a limitless AI environment with a strong focus on creators. Time will tell how far this approach can take them and what FlowGPT’s capabilities are.
