After Microsoft invested $10 billion, OpenAI snubs Windows 11 as it releases ChatGPT app first on Mac. “We’re just prioritizing where our users are.”

Zac Bowden
·3 min read
6
Satya Nadella and Sam Altman at OpenAI Dev Day.
Satya Nadella and Sam Altman at OpenAI Dev Day.

What you need to know

  • OpenAI announced a new native desktop app for ChatGPT today.

  • The app was announced exclusively for macOS, with a Windows app coming "later this year."

  • Even with Microsoft investing over $10 billion in OpenAI, a Windows app was seemingly not feasible.

  • OpenAI says it is prioritizing where its users are, which suggests they are not on Windows.

OpenAI today held a live event where it unveiled several updates for ChatGPT, including GPT-4o which is an updated large language model with enhanced real-time voice capabilities and faster performance. Microsoft and OpenAI share a close partnership, with Microsoft investing over $10 billion in the company and utilizing OpenAI’s technology in its own Copilot services.

Alongside the announcement of GPT-4o, OpenAI announced a brand new ChatGPT app for macOS, built using Apple’s native Mac app platform. Curiously, there was no mention of a Windows app launching alongside the Mac app, and unfortunately it turns out that’s because OpenAI didn’t think it was necessary to launch a Windows app at this time.

In an interview with Ina Fried, OpenAI’s CTO Mira Murati said “we’re just prioritizing where our users are” when asked about why there isn’t a Windows app launching today. That must sting a bit for Microsoft, especially when you consider how the company has been trying to market Windows as the platform for AI developers. Frustratingly, OpenAI says the Windows app for ChatGPT is coming later this year, with no specific timeframe provided.

According to OpenAI, the majority of its users on a desktop operating system are using Mac, even though Windows has a much larger share of the PC market. Windows users aren’t totally left out in the cold, however, as ChatGPT is available as a web app in your browser of choice, but that’s not going to deliver the same native experience as a dedicated app.

There is some hope for Windows users, as OpenAI engineer Javi has mentioned that the company is looking for Windows engineers, hopefully to help build a native ChatGPT app for Windows 11.

Windows has Copilot, it doesn't need a ChatGPT app... right?

Of course, Windows users have access to Microsoft Copilot, which is built-in to all Windows PCs and utilizes OpenAI's GPT magic anyway. While true, I don't see that as a valid reason for OpenAI to not build a native ChatGPT app that it controls. While Copilot and ChatGPT are similar, they are not identical, and Microsoft ultimately controls the GPT experience in Copilot.

What's more, ChatGPT gets access to new OpenAI technology ahead of Windows Copilot. So it would be nice to have a ChatGPT app on Windows so Windows users can take advantage of these advances before Microsoft is able to integrate them into Copilot.

Microsoft is holding its annual Build developer conference next week, which will be all about AI. We will likely see Microsoft announce GPT-4o support in Copilot during this event, but that's not really the point. It seems like app developers are often prioritizing new app development on Mac instead of Windows.

Windows Copilot is a webview, powered by Microsoft Edge. It does not use Windows 11's native UI framework, known as WinUI. The ChatGPT app on Mac uses SwiftUI, which is the Mac's native UI platform, and as a result is an app that is fast, fluid, and looks beautiful. Windows Copilot is functional, but you can't call it fast, fluid, or beautiful.