OpenAI's Bold Move: Introducing Stackable AI Skills

In what could be ChatGPT's most significant upgrade since its launch, OpenAI is secretly developing a "Skills" feature that may redefine how we use AI assistants. Codenamed "Hazelnut," this innovation appears directly inspired by competitor Anthropic's successful implementation in Claude - but with some intriguing twists.

Farewell to Static GPTs?

For years, ChatGPT users relied on customized GPTs - essentially predefined roles and knowledge sets. While useful, these remained somewhat rigid. The new Skills system represents a paradigm shift toward what insiders call "folder-based instruction." Instead of locking the AI into specific personas, Skills focuses on teaching adaptable capabilities.

Imagine training your AI assistant like you would a talented intern: showing it not just what to know, but how to think through problems in your field. That's the promise of Skills.

Learning from Claude - Then Raising the Stakes

Anthropic's Claude demonstrated the power of this approach with features like its front-end design plugin, which gives the AI remarkable intuition for web development tasks. OpenAI's version reportedly builds on this foundation while adding four key advantages:

• Mix-and-match abilities: Need help analyzing data AND writing a report? The system intelligently combines relevant skills.
• Universal compatibility: Build once, deploy everywhere - whether you're using ChatGPT via browser, app, or API.
• Lightning-fast performance: Unlike memory-hogging alternatives, Skills load only when needed.
• Real coding power: Forget fuzzy approximations - these skills can write and execute actual code snippets.

What Users Can Expect

Social media leaks from insider Tibor suggest some exciting practical features:

• Slash commands (/analyze, /summarize) for near-instant access to frequently used skills
• A dedicated skill editor for creating custom capabilities
• One-click conversion tools to transform existing GPTs into dynamic skills The anticipated January 2026 release could mark ChatGPT's evolution from conversational bot to true intelligent assistant - one that doesn't just chat but genuinely works alongside you.

Key Points:

• OpenAI developing "Skills" (codenamed Hazelnut) as successor to GPTs
• Inspired by Claude but with enhanced flexibility and power
• Enables teaching workflows rather than just static knowledge
• Features include slash commands and GPT conversion tools
• Expected release early 2026