OpenAI has claimed dominance in the AI world thanks to the overwhelming popularity of ChatGPT, yet there is one much requested feature that remained hidden and exclusive to employees until very recently.
While most people use ChatGPT for free, there is the option that some take up to pay for the service, unlocking various new features and improved capabilities for the world's most popular artificial intelligence tool.
This is where OpenAI sources most of its revenue, and this is especially important now following reports that the company has paused plans to introduce ads into the service.
That might be why Sam Altman has been prompted into a new revenue stream then, as OpenAI has just given everyone access to a feature that was previously only accessible to employees of the company.
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AI engineer and ChatGPT fan Tibor Blaho drew some attention with a post he made on X last week, as he revealed a screenshot of OpenAI's 'hidden' merch that at the time only those working at the company could pick up.
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The screenshot he shared features a French chore coat-style jacket, a luminous orange water bottle, a carabiner, and stickers — all featuring OpenAI branding and catchphrases.
"OpenAI should make their merch store public instead of keeping it employee-only — would you buy any?" Asks Tibor to his followers, and the response was mostly positive.
"I want the OpenAI mug so bad," wrote one user in the replies, with another noting that they 'needed' the t-shirt and that OpenAI "could also offer some merch to paying customers."
By far the most important reply Tibor received though was from OpenAI itself, as the company posted the eyes emoji alongside a link that opened up exactly what he was looking for.
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While most of the items shown on this merch store have been archived and are therefore unavailable for purchase, there are a few items that you can pick up like a 'Low-key' tote bag or '10 years' long sleeve t-shirt.
You can see the wide variety of items that are available to pick up though, including a football-style jersey, OpenAI-branded dinner plate, and even YuGiOh-esque cards made for the company's Sora video generation software.
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Not everyone is a fan of the merch though, as some of the replies to Tibor's post with one noting that "it's ugly," adding that "OpenAI is not known for their design choices."
Other posts have called the merch "brandwashing," whereas one even went as far to call it "the most loser s*** imaginable."