OpenAI acquires NextSlide to boost ChatGPT features

OpenAI has quietly acquired NextSlide, a small presentation software startup, quietly folding its team into ChatGPT’s development efforts.

The deal signals OpenAI’s push to expand beyond its core AI chatbot into tools that help users create and share content. Presentation software is a natural next step—businesses and students already rely on tools like PowerPoint and Google Slides, and AI could automate much of the gruntwork, from slide design to data visualization. NextSlide’s focus on AI-driven presentation generation fits that strategy. The acquisition also lets OpenAI bypass building such a product from scratch, giving it a shortcut to real-world user data and engineering talent.

NextSlide’s team, led by co-founders Alex De Soto and Marco Cibellis, is now working on ChatGPT, though the startup hasn’t revealed specifics about the transition. OpenAI has not disclosed financial terms or whether NextSlide’s software will continue under its own brand. The move follows OpenAI’s recent hires of former Google DeepMind researchers and its push into enterprise AI tools, including customizable versions of ChatGPT for businesses.

OpenAI’s next likely step is integrating AI features directly into presentation workflows—think auto-generated slides from meeting notes or real-time data updates in pitch decks. If successful, it could threaten Microsoft’s PowerPoint and Google Slides, both of which are already embedding AI tools. The acquisition also highlights the growing war for AI talent, as startups with niche expertise become acquisition targets for tech giants racing to dominate the next wave of software. In the long run, this could reshape how people create and consume presentations, turning them from static slides into dynamic, AI-powered narratives.