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How ChatGPT Hit 100M Users Faster Than Any App in History
And why OpenAI never needed a single ad
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Hey there,
Most AI companies try to impress people with tech talk.
OpenAI didn’t do that.
Instead, they made something simple, easy to try, and surprisingly fun. That’s how ChatGPT became the fastest growing app ever, 100 million users in just two months, without spending money on ads or hiring influencers.
Here’s how they pulled it off and what anyone building something can learn from it:
Step 1: Launch It Like a Toy, Not a Tool
When ChatGPT came out in late 2022, it wasn’t introduced as a high powered business tool.
It was just a website.
You typed something. It replied.
That’s it.
No talk about “AI assistants” or “enterprise software”.
Just a chat box that worked.
And that’s why it clicked, anyone could try it. No tech skills needed. No setup. No instructions.
Most people wait until their product is “ready”.
OpenAI let people play with something simple.
Lesson: If what you’re building is new or kind of weird, don’t try to explain it all at once. Make it easy and fun to try. People are more likely to share something they enjoyed than something they had to figure out.
Step 2: Let People Talk About It Instead of Talking About Yourself
OpenAI didn’t do a big launch.
They didn’t run ads. They didn’t pay creators.
They just released it quietly.
Within hours, people were posting screenshots like:
“It wrote a Seinfeld episode. This is wild.”
“It passed a test I gave it??”
“It explained a hard science topic so my kid could understand.”
OpenAI didn’t say, “Look how great this is”
They made something people wanted to talk about.
Lesson: If no one’s talking about your product, it’s probably not that interesting yet. Fix the product, not the marketing.
Step 3: Keep the Interface Stupid Simple
ChatGPT is basically a box you type into.
That’s it.
No complicated menus. No pop-ups. No settings to mess with.
It feels like texting a really smart friend.
Most apps try to give you a ton of options.
OpenAI just gave you answers.
Lesson: If people need a guide to use your app, it’s too complicated. Make it so simple, they don’t even have to think.
Step 4: Don’t Wait. Just Launch It
A lot of startups delay their launch with excuses:
“We’re fixing bugs.”
“The server isn’t ready.”
“We want to do a proper rollout.”
OpenAI didn’t wait. They just went live.
And because of that, people piled in fast.
Devs started building stuff with it.
Executives started testing it.
Suddenly, everyone was talking about ChatGPT.
Lesson: Don’t wait until everything’s perfect. Get it out there. You’ll learn faster, and the momentum will help you improve.
Step 5: Let Other People Build on Top of It
Most companies try to control everything around their product.
OpenAI didn’t.
They let developers make tools, plugins, and businesses with ChatGPT.
That turned it from a product into a whole ecosystem.
People made apps, websites, and services. All using ChatGPT. OpenAI didn’t have to do all the work.
Lesson: If your product helps other people create cool things, they’ll help it grow. Give people the tools, then get out of the way.
Step 6: Focus on Everyday People
Most early users of ChatGPT weren’t tech CEOs or startup founders.
They were just regular folks asking questions like:
“What should I cook tonight?”
“Can you help me sound nicer in this email?”
“Can you explain this news story to me like I’m 12?”
OpenAI didn’t try to impress big companies.
They focused on being useful to anyone.
That’s how they became a habit, something people came back to every day.
Lesson: Big companies move slow. Regular people move fast. Build for them first.
So What’s the Big Lesson?
OpenAI didn’t overthink it.
They didn’t make a complicated product.
They didn’t use fancy words.
They didn’t beg for attention.
They just made something simple, useful, and fun…
And trusted people to spread the word.
If you want to build something people care about, don’t start by planning a perfect launch.
Start by making something people want to show their friends.
Then put it out there. Let people try it.
And let the internet do the rest.
Quick Recap: What You Can Learn From ChatGPT’s Growth
Make it fun, not just useful
Let people try it, don’t explain everything
Launch fast and learn in public
Make something worth talking about
Help others build on top of it
Focus on habits, not hype
That’s it. Simple stuff. And that’s what made it work.
Until next time,
Omar Waseem