How We Launched the First AI Chatbot App Before OpenAI — and Hit 5 Figures in 5 Days
How We Launched the First AI Chatbot App Before OpenAI — and Hit 4 Figures in 5 Days
In early 2023, the AI gold rush was just beginning. ChatGPT had launched a few months prior and was desktop-only. There was no official OpenAI mobile app. Millions of people wanted to use ChatGPT on their phones — and nobody was serving them.
We saw the gap. We shipped first. And it changed everything.
The Opportunity No One Was Talking About
The keyword "ChatGPT" was exploding on mobile. Search volume was growing exponentially. And the supply side? Almost empty. A handful of low-quality wrappers.
At Appskilled, we had already grown 40+ apps through organic marketing and ASO. We knew the playbook. We knew how to read demand signals. And we knew that when search volume outpaces supply, you have a window — usually measured in weeks, not months.
Ship Fast, Learn Faster
We made a decision that would define the next phase of the business: ship in days, not months.
- Clean, native-feeling chat interface
- GPT API integration (the same models powering ChatGPT)
- Premium features behind a subscription (weekly/monthly)
- ASO-optimized from day one — title, keywords, screenshots, description
No feature bloat. The minimum viable product that solved the user's problem: use ChatGPT on mobile, right now, with a great experience.
4 Figures in 5 Days
Day 1: Organic downloads started flowing. The ASO work meant we were ranking for high-volume ChatGPT-related keywords from launch.
Day 3: Subscription revenue crossed into four figures. Users were paying for premium features because the free alternatives were terrible.
Day 5: We had a real business. Not a side project. A revenue-generating product built in under a week.
The key insight: we didn't build the best AI chatbot in the world. We built the best available AI chatbot on mobile before anyone else did. Timing + distribution > perfection.
What We Learned
1. Speed Is a Competitive Advantage
In emerging markets, the first credible product wins disproportionate market share. By the time OpenAI launched their official app months later, we had already captured tens of thousands of users.
2. Distribution Beats Product
The app wasn't revolutionary. What made it work was distribution — years of ASO expertise applied to a new vertical.
3. Read the Demand Signals
The data was there for anyone to see. But most builders were focused on building — not on reading where the demand was. The gap between demand and supply is where the money lives.
4. The AI Wave Is an Operator's Dream
AI isn't just a technology shift — it's a distribution shift. New categories are being created in real-time. If you know how to build and distribute, the opportunities are everywhere.
Building in the AI economy? Check your brand's AI visibility — because the next gap might be how AI search engines see your business.
About the Author
Liwaa Beaini is the founder of Torch99 and co-founder of Virtual Minds — an AI product studio registered under ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market), UAE. He is an AI strategist and product builder operating from Lebanon, specialising in GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), mobile app growth, and AI-first systems. He has grown 40+ mobile apps, advised enterprise clients across MENA, and built products across AI visibility, local intelligence, and digital transformation.
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Founder, Torch99 · Co-Founder, Virtual Minds (ADGM, UAE)
AI strategist and product builder operating from Lebanon. Founder of Torch99 and co-founder of Virtual Minds. Building 99Visibility — the GEO audit platform for the AI search era.