All those who do not live under the rock must have heard of ChatGPT by now. It has made to the headlines of almost every news channel, discussion forums, social media trends, and all the other relevant contemporary media, communication, and broadcast platforms.
Is ChatGPT the new big thing? Will ChatGPT replace Google? Will ChatGPT take away jobs? Can ChatGPT do ANYTHING? There are so many questions about the AI chatbot that are floating around the web and have become a part of our online and offline conversations.
However, that is a wide spectrum to cover and much has already been said and written by a wide number of people around the globe. Therefore, we will be mainly covering one aspect as mentioned in the title: ChatGPT and its impact on app development.
What is ChatGPT? Can ChatGPT replace programmers? Can ChatGPT be used for app development? Can ChatGPT make an Android app on its own? Can I use ChatGPT to build an iPhone app? Can I create a web app with ChatGPT? Is ChatGPT similar to a low-code or no-code app creator?
If these are the questions you have, then you have landed at the right place. Stay tuned as we give you all the answers and unfold the revelations that you are waiting for.
In this blog
- Can ChatGPT build apps?
- How can ChatGPT help developers?
- Which is the best technology for app development in 2024?
- Frequently asked questions
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT stands for Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer. It is essentially a chatbot launched by the renowned American Artificial Intelligence research organization – OpenAI. The organization was founded by the likes of Sam Altman, Reid Hoffman, Jessica Livingston, Elon Musk, and others. This alone speaks volumes of the potency of this organization and the software in particular.
You can visit chat.openai.com using your browser in order to use it. All you have to do is create an account and that is it. You will be ready to use it. For now, ChatGPT is free (this may change soon) and available to everyone, thus living by its parent platform’s name “Open AI”.
The AI has been built on OpenAI’s preceding language models that are primarily based on Transfer Learning, Supervised Learning, and Reinforcement Learning techniques. It uses deep learning to produce human-like text and produce answers to queries.
Sounds complicated? Well, let us give you an explanation that comes straight from the horse’s mouth. If you ask ChatGPT “What is ChatGPT?”, it frames the following answer:
“ChatGPT is a language model developed by OpenAI, it uses the GPT-3 architecture to generate human-like text based on the input it receives. It is designed to answer questions and engage in conversation on a wide range of topics.”
Here’s an image from the AI itself that explains how ChatGPT works:
As evident, ChatGPT is an advanced chatbot or a language model that has been trained on a diverse range of internet text and can answer questions and generate text based on that. For the time being, it is mainly going to augment and assist human work and be the tool for intelligent man and machine dialogue.
Limitations
ChatGPT is not a genie or a talisman, but an AI that itself accepts its limitations and says, or rather, prompts: “My abilities are not perfect, and I may sometimes produce responses that are not accurate, inappropriate. or irrelevant”.
Therefore, while you can use ChatGPT for a range of tasks like generating answers and texts for an assignment, finding facts and trivia, messaging customers or even friends on social media channels, writing a cover letter or job application, creating jokes, explaining complex subjects, solving tech and math problems, writing codes, and so on, it certainly cannot do it all.
All the results, especially sensitive and critical ones, must be validated. Since ChatGPT builds on the large corpus of text available on the internet, its answers cannot really be trusted on a first-value basis. Besides, it can only answer questions and cannot really perform tasks like building a website or composing an album. Its pros and cons can be summarized as follows:
Pros
ChatGPT has several advantages. Some of its capabilities include:
- Has extensive problem-solving capabilities
- Remembers conversations and responses
- Initiates human-like dialogues
- Allows users to provide follow-up corrections
- Declines inappropriate requests to some extent
Cons
ChatGPT is not perfect. In fact, it has several limitations, like:
- May occasionally generate incorrect information
- May write incorrect and nonsensical answers
- May produce unethical, harmful, or biased content
- Stores user data without explicit consent
- Has limited knowledge of the world & events after 2021
ChatGPT has already been used to create malware, write hateful or racist essays, create unsettling and insensitive content, and produce answers that are biased and hurtful. While nobody can deny its abilities and power as an AI, at the end of the day, it has its own limitations and inefficiencies and only best serves specific purposes.
Can ChatGPT build apps?
No!
ChatGPT cannot build an app for you. All that buzz about ChatGPT replacing programmers and app development solutions is just pandemonium. ChatGPT cannot really create an application all by itself (at least not for now and not in the foreseeable future). However, it can definitely assist you in the process of app development and expedite it to some extent.
For instance, you can ask ChatGPT about the steps of app development, designing process, coding, the process of publishing the app on the app stores, etc. However, there are abundant reliable sources available on the web that already answer the same and do not need you to go to and fro with typing questions and reading answers.
On the other hand, if you ask ChatGPT to build an app for you, it will only come up with possible solutions and methods that you can use to create an app. “I’m sorry. I am an AI language model and do not have the capability to build an app”, is the cookie-cutter response you get when you ask the AI to build an app for you.
Suggested read: How to build an AI app? Beginner’s guide to AI app development
How can ChatGPT help developers?
Before we proceed, you must take note of the following:
If you have no experience in programming, then you are recommended to either get developers to work for you or build your own app with a no-code app builder software. Using ChatGPT will not enable you to build a feature-rich and market-ready app all by itself.
Moving on, as stated above, ChatGPT cannot build apps, but it can certainly help and assist developers. As a developer, you can use ChatGPT for the following purposes:
Brainstorm ideas
The AI can help you create lists and source information you may need to validate the app idea, create a development plan, build an MVP (Minimum Viable Product), list suitable features, and more.
Write codes faster
ChatGPT can help you pull boilerplate codes or write code snippets in any language. However, your query must clearly list what you want, and you should validate the code.
Get design tips
From identifying the right color palette and fonts to using the right media, you can ask ChatGPT to help you find the same for your app. However, make sure that all your graphic and textual content is original and suitable for your customers.
Generate content copies
If you are ok with a mechanical AI-generated content copy, you can ask ChatGPT to write it for you. Get it to write content for your app or marketing material.
Get technical support
Just like you would go to Google, you can ask ChatGPT to offer technical advice or assistance whenever you get stuck or need a little help with fact-finding. Just ask the AI and it will compile the answers and bring them all to one place.
Plan post-production & marketing
You can ask ChatGPT to help you with the post-production processes. For instance, you can seek its help to optimize your app store listings, ask for tips to increase retention and installation, look up for the latest trends in mobile app marketing, and more.
These are some of the ways developers, programmers, and agencies can use ChatGPT to expedite and enhance the process of app development. While you cannot solely rely on the AI tool for any of the processes above, you can definitely use all the help you get from it. You can also look for ChatGPT API integrations with other technological solutions and fast-track your processes.
However, if as a developer you want to truly fasten the pace of development and deliver apps to customers at a lightning pace, you can use a DIY app development tool that offers reselling and enterprise solutions and enables you to build apps with low-code or no-code solutions.
Which is the best technology for app development in 2024?
Now we know that ChatGPT can answer technical queries and assist developers to some extent. However, it is not capable of creating apps itself and thus cannot be of much help to those who know nothing about coding or do not have the means to go through the intensive technical processes of custom app development.
So, what is the solution? Fortunately, you do not really need ChatGPT to build an app for your business. There are dedicated technologies, tools, and software available on the web that you can use to create apps of your own. We especially recommend using a no-code solution that lets you create premium and feature-rich apps without breaking the bank.
For instance, AppMySite’s no-code app building software is one of the best technologies for individuals, organizations, and businesses that want to be mobile-ready. In fact, it is also fit for agencies that want to cater to the app development industry with more efficiency and speed.
AppMySite enables you to create your own WordPress app, turn any website into an app and build Android and iOS apps for any industry without writing a single line of code. It has a powerful technology stack that is redefining citizen development. You can manage everything from design to development and deployment on your own and go from idea to app in minutes.
It is the best way to build apps for any industry or niche and takes very little of your time and resources. All you have to do is subscribe to the platform and you can start building your app immediately. There are ample guides and tutorials to help you through and enable you to get the ball rolling.
In conclusion
This was all about ChatGPT and its impact on app development. As evident, ChatGPT is essentially a chatbot that can be used to prompt answers to infinite queries but there is still no way to rely on it completely for app development projects. While programmers and developers can use it to generate codes for specific goals, one must have ample technical expertise and knowledge to ask the right questions to the AI model and validate its answers.
However, if you want an app development solution that is truly DIY (Do It Yourself) and lets you create apps without any coding knowledge or expertise then code-free app builders are your best bet. It can save you time, money, and resources and get you results at par or even better than custom app development.
As far as the future of ChatGPT is concerned, there is much to unfold. Now that integrations are in progress and Google has come up with Bard, its own AI service that is likely to compete with ChatGPT, it will be interesting to see how the two AI tools develop, compete, survive, and expand and how they go on to impact our lives. Jump into our comment section and let us know who you think will win the AI battle.
Frequently asked questions
How to build an app using ChatGPT?
ChatGPT cannot essentially help you build an app with or without coding. You may ask it to write programs and source the components that can be used to develop the app. However, there is no way to validate those results and the tool is still not completely reliable. Therefore, it is best to create an app with a no-code app builder that has been particularly designed to optimize and simplify app development. On the contrary, if you are a developer and you just need assistance, you can use ChatGPT to generate boilerplate codes, answer research questions, compile design trends and tips from the web, identify errors in content copy, and more. Basically, you can use ChatGPT to assist you as you develop the app.
How does ChatGPT work?
ChatGPT uses a huge neural network (or a machine learning algorithm that acts like a human brain) to create answers in conversational forms. We give the command to ChatGPT in the text bar. The AI then runs processes that are based on the huge collection of data it encompasses. A decoder then finalizes the output and generates prompts that we receive as the final response. ChatGPT also learns from our responses and takes into account patterns and relationships to generate continued responses and build conversations.
Can ChatGPT develop software applications?
ChatGPT is not capable of software development for now. While it can assist developers in creating websites, mobile apps, and other software, it cannot be completely trusted to build an application on its own. ChatGPT generates answers and codes but does not give context for the same, making the information unreliable. Therefore, developers can leverage ChatGPT to expedite their development projects and get help where possible. However, they should use the technologies, or low-code & no-code tools specifically designed for development to create software.
Can I write an entire app with ChatGPT?
If you are an expert developer and you have the knowledge to vet the results and responses generated by ChatGPT, you can use the AI tool to write codes for application development. However, if you are new to development, you will have no way to know whether the responses are completely accurate and flawless. Therefore, it will be better to put your own programming abilities to use as you write an app. Else, you can also use a low-code and no-code solution that is specially designed to simplify and accelerate app development.
Will ChatGPT impact app development?
ChatGPT definitely has the potential to impact and disrupt several industries. However, it is still nascent and there are much more integrated and advanced technologies available in the app development industry that are better options for developers and end customers. ChatGPT may power, support, and assist those technologies. However, it is still not capable of developing apps all by itself.
Will ChatGPT replace developers?
It is too early to answer that question. While ChatGPT can write code, it does not have the potential to replace programmers and developers for now. It can definitely help programmers write, clean, and rectify codes and support them in other related work.
Will ChatGPT replace no-code app builders?
No. ChatGPT is essentially a chatbot that answers queries and solves empirical problems. It has not been designed to take up app development on a full-fledged scale or automate it. If you want to develop affordable apps quickly without coding, a no-code app builder like AppMySite will be best for you.