As it stands, Jeff is hosted on the ChatGPT platform as a CustomGPT, which provides a convenient setup but comes with significant limitations. I quickly realized that my control over the user interface and branding is minimal, meaning that I can’t fully shape the experience. Creating a standalone platform for Jeff could open up more branding and marketing opportunities. I could tailor Jeff’s branding to specific user personas, especially my main target audience who are gamers. Currently, I feel limited by the generic ChatGPT environment, which makes it hard to create a memorable and standout experience.
Additionally, using Jeff on this platform requires a ChatGPT Plus subscription, which, while accessible to 10 million subscribers (Backlinko, 2024), restricts the tool’s availability to a broader audience. I want to make Jeff more accessible and versatile, and this platform constraint has pushed me to consider alternative hosting solutions.
Evaluating API Integration and Frontend Options
To build a more accessible and branded interface, my initial thoughts were to link the ChatGPT API to a custom frontend on platforms like Wix or WordPress, which offer more user friendly design tools without needing extensive coding knowledge. However, after doing some research, I found out that integrating ChatGPT’s API with these platforms is more complex than I initially anticipated. Neither Wix nor WordPress supports direct server-side scripting, which is essential for managing API requests. Setting up my own server to handle these requests is an option, but with my limited hardware and experience, it’s not feasible in the short term.
I then looked into third-party tools like Zapier and Make, which are able to facilitate API integrations without the need for coding. Unfortunately, these tools are enterprise level, with pricing that far exceeds this project’s current scale. While they could potentially streamline the integration, they aren’t practical for now due to the cost.
Alternatives
In my search for alternatives, I discovered the AI Engine plugin for WordPress, which simplifies the API integration process considerably. However, a critical limitation of this plugin is its inability to store and remember past conversations. This limitation disrupts Jeff’s core functionality, which relies on a continuous rehearsal and reflection loop. Without memory retention, Jeff cannot support users in revisiting and reflecting on past interactions, which is essential for sustained behavioral change.
Another platform I considered is SamurAI, which allows customization and already has server-side capabilities. However, like many other third-party solutions, it also cannot retain conversations across session, this prevents me from creating a long-term interaction flow for users.
Next Steps: Testing and Iterative Improvement
Throughout this exploration, I’ve realized how vital conversation memory is to Jeff’s purpose. The retention of user data across sessions is essential for a sense of continuity, which is central to Jeff’s rehearsal, action, and reflection loop. While I continue learning about potential integration solutions, I recognize the limitations in my technical knowledge and the complexity of achieving my ideal setup. The learning curve is quite steep, and the task of building a fully customized, memory-retaining chatbot is proving to be challenging.
Given these constraints, I’ve decided to refocus my immediate efforts on testing the concept with my target audience. By gathering direct feedback on Jeff’s current functionality, I want to refine the tool’s approach and ensure that, regardless of platform, it meets user needs effectively. This phase of testing will inform how I can structure Jeff to maximize its impact and what adjustments may be necessary as I continue exploring more customizable solutions.
References
Backlinko (2024) ChatGPT / OpenAI Statistics: How Many People Use ChatGPT? [online] Available at: https://backlinko.com/chatgpt-stats