You'll be left Behind as an AI PM If You Don't Use ChatGPT Apps

Colin Matthews is back with the definitive guide to ChatGPT apps. MCP protocol explained, live app building demo, and eval strategies. Plus: why every PM should learn this new distribution channel. Full Writeup: https://www.news.aakashg.com/p/colin-matthews-podcast Transcript: https://www.aakashg.com/chatgpt-apps-guide-colin-matthews/ Chippy: https://chippy.build/ ---- Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 3:09 - What Are ChatGPT Apps? 8:25 - Architecture & How They're Built 10:32 - Ads 11:24 - Building First App 19:52 - Live Demo: Healthcare App 30:18 - Ads 33:12 - Improving with Evals 40:19 - PM Role & Prototyping Debate 52:01 - Ideas for Solo Builders 54:38 - Colin's Solopreneur Year 1:01:26 - Outro ---- 🏆 Thanks to our sponsors: 1. Colin's ChatGPT Apps Course: Next cohort starts February 13th on Maven - https://bit.ly/4qd2ryx 2. Vanta: Automate compliance, Get $1,000 with my link: https://www.vanta.com/lp/demo-1k?utm_campaign=1k_offer&utm_source=product-growth&utm_medium=podcast 3. Land PM Job: 12-week experience to master getting a PM job - https://www.landpmjob.com/ 4. Naya One: Accelerate AI adoption in financial services - https://nayaone.com/ 5. Mobbin: The world's largest mobile & web design library - Get 20% off: https://mobbin.com/?via=aakash ---- Key Takeaways: 1. ChatGPT apps = MCP + widgets - The Model Context Protocol (invented by Anthropic) lets AI agents call external tools. OpenAI added UI widgets on top to create embedded app experiences directly in chat. 2. 900M weekly active users = massive distribution opportunity - This is the new SEO. Early data shows 26% higher conversion from AI traffic vs traditional search. Every enterprise will eventually build here. 3. You're building for multiple platforms - MCP works across ChatGPT, Claude (coming soon), Cursor, and other AI tools. Build once, distribute everywhere. Gemini doesn't support it yet. 4. Apps get called based on tool descriptions - Your metadata matters. Like SEO but for LLMs. Run evals to test if correct prompts trigger your tools. Iterate on descriptions to improve discovery. 5. Three eval categories: direct, indirect, negative - Direct: user names your app. Indirect: user describes outcome. Negative: irrelevant request shouldn't trigger your tool. Test all three systematically. 6. PMs should prototype but engineers ship production - Use tools like Chippy to prototype quickly and test concepts. Show stakeholders real interactions. Engineering team builds the production version. 7. Enterprise-first, solo builders second - Large companies (Target, Uber, Canva) are early adopters chasing distribution. But huge opportunity for indie builders once public marketplace launches. 8. Best opportunities: embedded collaboration tools - Spreadsheets, task lists, whiteboards where ChatGPT can partner with you. Not just search results—actual interactive experiences. 9. Error analysis on observability logs is critical - Track what prompts triggered which tools with what parameters. Look for mismatches between expected and actual behavior. Iterate tool descriptions. 10. Marketplace launching by end of 2024/early 2025 - Currently only launch partners can publish. Public marketplace coming soon means anyone can ship apps and reach ChatGPT's massive user base. ---- 👨‍💻 Where to find Colin Matthews: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinmatthews-pm/?originalSubdomain=ca Newsletter: https://blog.techforproduct.com/ 👨‍💻 Where to find Aakash: Twitter: https://www.x.com/aakashg0 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aagupta/ Newsletter: https://www.news.aakashg.com #chatgptapps #aipm ---- 🧠 About Product Growth: The world's largest podcast focused solely on product + growth, with over 200K+ listeners. 🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications to get more videos like this.

Colin MatthewsguestAakash Guptahost

Jan 22, 20261h 2mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: January 22, 2026
Duration: 1h 2m
Channel: Aakash Gupta
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Colin Matthews is back with the definitive guide to ChatGPT apps. MCP protocol explained, live app building demo, and eval strategies. Plus: why every PM should learn this new distribution channel. Full Writeup: https://www.news.aakashg.com/p/colin-matthews-podcast Transcript: https://www.aakashg.com/chatgpt-apps-guide-colin-matthews/ Chippy: https://chippy.build/ ---- Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro 3:09 - What Are ChatGPT Apps? 8:25 - Architecture & How They're Built 10:32 - Ads 11:24 - Building First App 19:52 - Live Demo: Healthcare App 30:18 - Ads 33:12 - Improving with Evals 40:19 - PM Role & Prototyping Debate 52:01 - Ideas for Solo Builders 54:38 - Colin's Solopreneur Year 1:01:26 - Outro ---- 🏆 Thanks to our sponsors:
1. Colin's ChatGPT Apps Course: Next cohort starts February 13th on Maven - https://bit.ly/4qd2ryx
1. Vanta: Automate compliance, Get $1,000 with my link: https://www.vanta.com/lp/demo-1k?utm_campaign=1k_offer&utm_source=product-growth&utm_medium=podcast
1. Land PM Job: 12-week experience to master getting a PM job - https://www.landpmjob.com/
1. Naya One: Accelerate AI adoption in financial services - https://nayaone.com/
1. Mobbin: The world's largest mobile & web design library - Get 20% off: https://mobbin.com/?via=aakash ---- Key Takeaways:
1. ChatGPT apps = MCP + widgets - The Model Context Protocol (invented by Anthropic) lets AI agents call external tools. OpenAI added UI widgets on top to create embedded app experiences directly in chat.
1. 900M weekly active users = massive distribution opportunity - This is the new SEO. Early data shows 26% higher conversion from AI traffic vs traditional search. Every enterprise will eventually build here.
1. You're building for multiple platforms - MCP works across ChatGPT, Claude (coming soon), Cursor, and other AI tools. Build once, distribute everywhere. Gemini doesn't support it yet.
1. Apps get called based on tool descriptions - Your metadata matters. Like SEO but for LLMs. Run evals to test if correct prompts trigger your tools. Iterate on descriptions to improve discovery.
1. Three eval categories: direct, indirect, negative - Direct: user names your app. Indirect: user describes outcome. Negative: irrelevant request shouldn't trigger your tool. Test all three systematically.
1. PMs should prototype but engineers ship production - Use tools like Chippy to prototype quickly and test concepts. Show stakeholders real interactions. Engineering team builds the production version.
1. Enterprise-first, solo builders second - Large companies (Target, Uber, Canva) are early adopters chasing distribution. But huge opportunity for indie builders once public marketplace launches.
1. Best opportunities: embedded collaboration tools - Spreadsheets, task lists, whiteboards where ChatGPT can partner with you. Not just search results—actual interactive experiences.
1. Error analysis on observability logs is critical - Track what prompts triggered which tools with what parameters. Look for mismatches between expected and actual behavior. Iterate tool descriptions.
1. Marketplace launching by end of 2024/early 2025 - Currently only launch partners can publish. Public marketplace coming soon means anyone can ship apps and reach ChatGPT's massive user base. ---- 👨‍💻 Where to find Colin Matthews: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colinmatthews-pm/?originalSubdomain=ca Newsletter: https://blog.techforproduct.com/ 👨‍💻 Where to find Aakash: Twitter: https://www.x.com/aakashg0 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aagupta/ Newsletter: https://www.news.aakashg.com #chatgptapps #aipm ---- 🧠 About Product Growth: The world's largest podcast focused solely on product + growth, with over 200K+ listeners. 🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications to get more videos like this.

SPEAKERS

Colin Matthews
guest
AI prototyping expert and builder of multiple SaaS apps, discussing ChatGPT apps/MCP and his prototyping tool stack.
Aakash Gupta
host
Product-focused podcast host who interviews guests about AI and PM workflows and promotes his newsletter and cohorts.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Aakash Gupta, featuring Colin Matthews and Aakash Gupta, You'll be left Behind as an AI PM If You Don't Use ChatGPT Apps explores chatGPT apps: MCP-powered embedded tools PMs must learn now ChatGPT apps embed interactive, branded mini-app UIs directly inside a chat, giving companies more deterministic control than relying on AI web search links alone.

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