Why Building on ChatGPT Is Like Renting Your Brain 😭

OpenAI’s new Agents will wipe out companies built on its tech. Here’s why I refuse to build on it and why you should care too.

Jul 21, 2025

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OpenAI just dropped its new ChatGPT Agents and a LOT of startups are sweating bullets (and, they should be!)

Why? Because for the last year, dozens of companies have been building “custom agents” on top of OpenAI’s API. It was easy. It was fast. It was “good enough.”

I mean, so many “AI experts popped up over night”. 🤣 I love when I see “15 years experience in AI”…

But now? The landlord just launched luxury apartments. And those same companies are about to get WIPED out.

This is exactly why we don’t build on OpenAI’s agent framework and why you shouldn’t either (or use a company that does!)

Here’s a simple analogy to quickly put this into perspective:

Building on ChatGPT is like renting a pre-furnished apartment—you can’t change the walls, and the landlord can raise the rent anytime or kick you out anytime they want.
A custom AI agent is like building your own home. It’s designed for YOUR needs, YOU own it and it grows in value over time.

Let me dig further into this…

Renting vs. Owning: The AI Agent Trap

Building on OpenAI is like renting your brain.

You move in fast because the landlord (OpenAI) did all the hard work.
But you can’t customize anything beyond what they allow.
And now the landlord is building the same features you were “innovating,” but better, faster and cheaper.

Owning your AI brain—building it from the ground up—is different:

You control the model.
You control the roadmap.
No one can undercut you or copy you overnight.

And, this is the problem with all the “gurus” out there… They don’t know better than to build off OpenAI.

And I wish I could be this smart and figure this out myself, but I'm smart enough to partner with the right people who actually know this stuff. (My business partner basically invented AI Voice and is the Co-Founder & inventor of Amazon Alexa)… So credit goes to him!

Why We Won’t Use ChatGPT Open AI Framework (Founder Perspective)

Ownership = Survival

When you build on ChatGPT, you don’t own the intelligence behind your product. OpenAI does.

That means they can:

Learn from your data.
Launch a better, cheaper version of your product (like they’re doing now).
Raise prices or cut you off at any moment.

When we build AI companies, we own the brain. We control the model, the roadmap and the data. No one can pull the rug out from under us.

We Build Real IP

Startups built on OpenAI’s agent framework have a thin UI on someone else’s tech. That’s not defensible. Investors know it.

When you rent from OpenAI, they control:

Your costs (API pricing).
Your features (what’s allowed).
Your stability (what happens if they cut access).

Our approach? We build proprietary, patentable models that increase valuation because we own the core technology.

Data Security and Compliance

OpenAI’s servers aren’t designed for strict compliance, such as HIPAA or GDPR. Enterprises want full control.

By owning our infrastructure:

All data stays in-house.
We pass audits and meet enterprise-level security standards.

Customization = Competitive Advantage

ChatGPT is a generalist. It’s good at “everything,” which means it’s not great at the specific things that matter for certain industries.

Our AI agents are trained on niche workflows and playbooks. They’re smarter, more relevant, and impossible for competitors to replicate with a generic model.

We’re Playing the Long Game

OpenAI makes it easy to launch fast. But when you try to scale, add unique features, or bring on 100,000+ users? You hit walls.

We’ve seen this coming. That’s why our infrastructure is designed for speed now and scalability later.

Why Users Should Care (User Perspective)

Here’s the ugly truth: This isn’t just about startups. As a user, you should care where your AI tool comes from. Because if it’s built on OpenAI’s brain, you don’t really own your future either.

OpenAI Decides Your Experience

Products built on ChatGPT are at the mercy of OpenAI’s roadmap. If they pivot or cut features, the tools you rely on could break or vanish.

Better Accuracy, Better Personalization

Generic AI feels like talking to a call center script. Custom AI feels like talking to a partner who actually understands your world.

Our AI agents are trained on real data and workflows so they deliver answers that matter, not just fluff.

Your Data Should Be Yours

Would you want your financial information, customer details, or trade secrets to be exposed through a third-party model?

Custom AI keeps your data private and locked down.

Reliability and Trust

When you choose AI built on OpenAI, you’re betting your future on someone else’s business model.

When you choose custom AI, you’re choosing stability, ownership, and a partner that works for you, not for a platform.

The Bottom Line

We’ve seen this coming. That’s why every AI company we’re launching right now is built on our own infrastructure.

Because renting your brain might be easy today, but owning it is the only way to survive tomorrow.

Own your brain. Own your future.

Interested in hiring us? Set up a discovery call with us to talk about your AI project:

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If this gave you a new way to think about AI, you’ll love The Diaries of an Accidental Millionaire.