platform strategy

OpenAI’s Prism launch signals a seismic shift in how vertical software gets built. Rather than competing in commoditised general-purpose AI, OpenAI is embedding AI directly into industry-specific workflows—exactly where scientists, doctors, and engineers spend their time. This isn’t about being smarter than ChatGPT; it’s about owning the workflow layer. The free-tier pricing strategy targets institutional lock-in, not individual adoption. Within 18 months, every category leader in your vertical will face an AI-native competitor with OpenAI’s balance sheet strength and data advantage. The companies that survive are those realising that AI isn’t a feature to bolt on—it’s the foundation your business must be built on. Your competitive advantage is no longer “how do we use AI better” but “how do we build systems where AI drives our core value.”