OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence company, is planning to further expand its business. According to multiple recent media reports, OpenAI is developing a social media feature similar to X (formerly Twitter) and may integrate it into its popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT.
Early-Stage Project Focuses on Image Generation and Social Interaction
According to The Verge, OpenAI has developed an internal prototype of this social media feature. The core functionality revolves around ChatGPT's image generation capabilities. Users will be able to generate AI images, such as the recently popular anime-style images, via ChatGPT and share them directly to a social feed, creating a dynamic exchange experience similar to X. This feature aims to leverage ChatGPT's large user base to enhance its content creation and social interaction capabilities.
Currently, the project is in its early stages, and OpenAI hasn't specified whether this feature will be released as a standalone application or integrated directly into ChatGPT. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly started seeking external feedback to assess the project's feasibility and market potential.
Increased Competition: A Challenge to X and Meta
This move by OpenAI is seen as a direct challenge to existing social media giants, particularly Elon Musk's X platform and Meta's Instagram. X has significantly improved the interactivity and dissemination efficiency of user-generated content by deeply integrating with xAI's Grok chatbot. An anonymous OpenAI employee commented, "The Grok and X integration makes everyone envious, especially the viral content users create through it." This comment suggests OpenAI hopes to replicate, or even surpass, X's success model with its social media feature.
Meanwhile, Meta is also developing a standalone AI assistant application and plans to add social feed functionality. OpenAI's new initiative will undoubtedly intensify competition in the AI-driven social media market. Furthermore, developing its own social platform will provide OpenAI with real-time user-generated data, crucial for optimizing its language models and maintaining a competitive edge.
A New Chapter in the Altman-Musk Rivalry
OpenAI's social media plans are inevitably viewed within the context of the long-standing competition between Sam Altman and Elon Musk. Both were co-founders of OpenAI, but their relationship has been strained since Musk left in 2018. In early 2025, Musk proposed a $97.4 billion acquisition of OpenAI's controlling stake, met with a playful response from Altman: "No thanks, but we'd happily buy Twitter for $9.74 billion." OpenAI's development of an X-like social feature is interpreted by some media as a direct countermove to Musk.
Furthermore, the legal battle between OpenAI and Musk is escalating. Musk previously sued OpenAI, alleging it deviated from its initial purpose of developing AI for human well-being, while OpenAI recently countersued, claiming Musk used X to launch "malicious attacks" against them. The development of the social media feature could become a new battleground for their competition.
User Experience and Privacy Concerns
While OpenAI's social media feature is promising, potential challenges remain. Since its launch at the end of March, ChatGPT's image generation tool has attracted over 130 million users who have generated 700 million images, demonstrating strong user appeal. However, recent copyright controversies and data privacy issues surrounding AI-generated content have sparked widespread discussion. For example, ChatGPT-generated Studio Ghibli-style images raised copyright concerns, and the energy consumption of AI-generated content has also been criticized.
Experts point out that if OpenAI launches a social media function, it needs to establish clear strategies for content moderation, user privacy protection, and environmental impact to avoid repeating the mistakes of other social platforms. AIbase will continue to monitor OpenAI's progress in this area and provide readers with the latest insights.
