Did OpenAI Just Kill a Bunch of Agent Startups? OpenAI DevDay 2025 First Reactions
Did OpenAI Just Kill a Bunch of Agent Startups? OpenAI DevDay 2025 First Reactions
Podcast18 min 37 sec
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Note: AI-generated summary based on third-party content. Not financial advice. Read more.
Quick Insights

A potential "big deal" between AMD and OpenAI is a major bullish catalyst that could significantly boost AMD's position in the AI chip market. Investors should watch for an official announcement, as a confirmed partnership could lead to long-term growth. Coursera (COUR) and Zillow (Z, ZG) are also strong considerations due to their deep integration as launch partners for OpenAI's "Apps in ChatGPT". This partnership directly enhances their core products, creating a competitive advantage and the potential for higher user retention. Focus on established companies like these that are leveraging AI as a tool for enhancement, as they are well-positioned to benefit from the technology's growth.

Detailed Analysis

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)

  • A "big OpenAI AMD deal" was mentioned as a major topic of conversation, suggesting a significant partnership between the two companies.
  • The host notes this deal has been discussed "as much as anything at Dev Day if not more," highlighting its perceived importance in the industry.

Takeaways

  • Bullish Sentiment: The potential partnership with OpenAI is a major bullish catalyst for AMD. It signals that AMD is making serious inroads into the highly profitable market for AI accelerator chips, which is currently dominated by Nvidia.
  • Actionable Insight: Investors should monitor the news closely for an official announcement and details of this deal. A confirmed large-scale partnership could significantly boost AMD's position as a key supplier for the AI revolution, potentially leading to long-term growth.

Coursera (COUR)

  • Coursera was featured as a launch partner for OpenAI's new "Apps in ChatGPT" feature.
  • The demo showcased a deep integration where a user could pause an educational video and ask ChatGPT for a more detailed explanation of the content.
  • The host described this integration as "really powerful" and a compelling use case that adds fundamental value, effectively turning ChatGPT into a personal tutor for Coursera content.
  • The sentiment was that once users experience this enhanced learning, they may not want to return to the standard Coursera platform.

Takeaways

  • Bullish Sentiment: This integration represents a significant product enhancement for Coursera. It leverages AI to create a more interactive and personalized learning experience, which could be a strong differentiator.
  • Actionable Insight: This partnership could lead to increased user engagement, higher retention rates, and a stronger competitive moat for Coursera. The company is demonstrating a forward-thinking approach to AI that directly improves its core offering, which is a positive sign for investors.

Zillow (Z, ZG)

  • Zillow was also highlighted as a launch partner for "Apps in ChatGPT".
  • The demo involved a user asking ChatGPT questions about a property that were not available on the Zillow app itself, such as its proximity to a dog park.
  • The host found this compelling, noting that it creates a "different experience" by allowing active home buyers to conduct deeper, more personalized research directly within the chat interface.

Takeaways

  • Bullish Sentiment: The integration adds a powerful research layer to the Zillow experience, making it more valuable for serious buyers.
  • Actionable Insight: By integrating ChatGPT, Zillow is enhancing its platform's utility beyond simple property browsing. This could increase user stickiness, especially among highly motivated buyers, and strengthen Zillow's position as the go-to platform for real estate searches.

AI Integration & Platform Partners

This section covers a basket of companies mentioned as being part of OpenAI's new app ecosystem.

  • Companies Mentioned:
    • Booking.com (BKNG)
    • Expedia (EXPE)
    • Spotify (SPOT)
    • Instacart (CART)
    • Uber (UBER)
    • TripAdvisor (TRIP)
    • Salesforce (CRM) via its subsidiary Slack.
  • All were named as launch partners for "Apps in ChatGPT" or, in Slack's case, a new Codex integration. This means their services can be accessed and used from within the ChatGPT interface.
  • While specific use cases for most were not detailed, their inclusion shows they are at the forefront of adopting cutting-edge AI technology.

Takeaways

  • Investment Theme: The key theme is identifying companies that are not being replaced by AI, but are instead using it to enhance their existing products and services. Being an early launch partner with a leader like OpenAI is a strong positive signal.
  • Actionable Insight: This "basket" of stocks represents established companies that are actively innovating with AI. Their partnerships could lead to enhanced user experiences and new revenue opportunities. Investors looking for exposure to AI application layer could consider these companies as they are demonstrating a clear strategy to integrate AI rather than be disrupted by it.

Investment Theme: AI Agent & Workflow Builders

  • The podcast centered on the question of whether OpenAI's new "AgentKit" will "kill" existing agent-builder startups like Zapier, Lindy, and N8N (all currently private).
  • Bearish Argument / Risk Factor: OpenAI's massive distribution and platform power present a significant competitive threat to any company whose core business could be considered a "feature" of the OpenAI platform.
  • Bullish Counter-Argument: Competing platforms can still thrive by offering model flexibility (the ability to use models other than OpenAI's) and leveraging their large, existing ecosystems of integrations (e.g., Zapier's 8,000+ apps). OpenAI's entry could also expand the total market for these tools.

Takeaways

  • Sector Risk: This discussion highlights a major risk for investors in the AI space: platform risk. Startups and even public companies that build tools on top of foundational models are vulnerable to the platform owner (like OpenAI) deciding to build that functionality themselves.
  • Actionable Insight: When evaluating investments in AI-native software companies, it is crucial to assess their defensibility. Ask whether the company provides a unique, indispensable service or if its features could be easily replicated by a large AI lab. Companies with deep integration ecosystems and a multi-model strategy may be better insulated from this risk.
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Episode Description
Bonus Episode! OpenAI’s 2025 DevDay just redefined the agent landscape — and maybe wiped out a slew of startups in the process? In this instant reaction bonus episode, NLW breaks down the biggest announcements, including the new Agent Kit, Apps SDK, and API updates, and asks whether OpenAI’s latest moves spell the end for companies like Lindy, Zapier, and n8n. Plus, early reactions from the developer community, what these tools really mean for agent adoption, and why the shift from innovation to integration could mark the next phase of AI. Brought to you by: Is your enterprise ready for the future of agentic AI? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit AGNTCY.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Outshift Internet of Agents⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Try Notion AI today with Notion 3.0 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ntn.so/nlw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ KPMG – Discover how AI is transforming possibility into reality. Tune into the new KPMG 'You Can with AI' podcast and unlock insights that will inform smarter decisions inside your enterprise. Listen now and start shaping your future with every episode. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.kpmg.us/AIpodcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Blitzy.com - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://blitzy.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to build enterprise software in days, not months Insightwise - AI for the entire consulting lifecycle ⁠⁠⁠https://www.insightwise.ai/⁠⁠⁠ Robots & Pencils - Cloud-native AI solutions that power results ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://robotsandpencils.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Vanta - Simplify compliance - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://vanta.com/nlw⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Agent Readiness Audit from Superintelligent - Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://besuper.ai/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠to request your company's agent readiness score. The AI Daily Brief helps you understand the most important news and discussions in AI. Subscribe to the podcast version of The AI Daily Brief wherever you listen: https://pod.link/1680633614 Interested in sponsoring the show? nlw@aidailybrief.ai
About The AI Daily Brief (Formerly The AI Breakdown): Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis
The AI Daily Brief (Formerly The AI Breakdown): Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

The AI Daily Brief (Formerly The AI Breakdown): Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

By Nathaniel Whittemore

A daily news analysis show on all things artificial intelligence. NLW looks at AI from multiple angles, from the explosion of creativity brought on by new tools like Midjourney and ChatGPT to the potential disruptions to work and industries as we know them to the great philosophical, ethical and practical questions of advanced general intelligence, alignment and x-risk.