In the journey from “What are ChatGPT Apps?” to “I’ve built half a dozen that save me hours each week,” the modern procurement professional has already taken giant strides. But for the curious buyer who’s now more productive than ever, the question becomes: What’s next?
You have attended the course Intro to ChatGPT Apps for Buyers: Creating Digital Assistants and are now wondering what is next? Below are four practical paths to deepen your AI-powered procurement toolkit.
Content…
1. Level Up with OpenAI’s “ChatGPT at Work” Collection
OpenAI’s Academy offers a suite of free, self-paced modules designed to expand your ChatGPT skillset beyond basic prompts. Three tracks stand out for buyers:
- Projects
Learn how to structure multi-step workflows—think: automatically generating an end-to-end sourcing report by chaining prompts, data inputs, and follow-up questions. - Deep Research
Master techniques for using ChatGPT to scour the web, summarize industry reports, and surface competitive intelligence—perfect for category managers needing rapid market insights. - Data Analytics
Explore how to combine ChatGPT with CSV uploads or the Advanced Data Analysis (Code Interpreter) plugin to visualize spend trends, forecast demand, or model negotiation scenarios.
You can browse these courses here:
https://academy.openai.com/public/collections/chatgpt-at-work-2025-02-14
Each course builds on the fundamentals you’ve already mastered and shows you how to turn ChatGPT into a powerful research and analytics partner.
2. Experiment with Plugins and APIs
If you’ve only used ChatGPT’s basic interface so far, now is the time to explore plugins or API integrations:
- ERP & Sourcing Platform Connections
Link ChatGPT to live data from your ERP, spend-management tool, or supplier database. Instead of asking “What was our spend last quarter?”, you can ask it directly—no manual exports needed. - Web-Scraping or News Plugins
Set up a Link Reader or News plugin to feed breaking industry news or supplier financials into your chat session. Use prompts like “Summarize any recent earnings reports for Vendor X” to stay ahead of risk.
Dipping into plugins means treating ChatGPT not just as a text generator, but as an interactive front-end for all your procurement systems.
3. Join Communities & Share Your Innovations
The best breakthroughs often come from collaboration:
- OpenAI Community Forum
Browse the “ChatGPT for Work” and “Plugins” categories. Ask questions, share your procurement-specific prompts, and discover new use cases from other professionals. - LinkedIn Procurement & AI Groups
Many sourcing and supply-chain communities now have AI-focused subgroups. Posting your ChatGPT App templates there can spark fresh ideas—and you’ll get real-world feedback. - GitHub Prompt Libraries
Check out or contribute to open repositories of procurement prompts. Packaging your best ChatGPT Apps as a sharable prompt pack can position you as a thought leader—and you’ll learn from peers who have tackled similar challenges.
4. Build Your Own “Beta Lab” Projects
Nothing accelerates learning like a hands-on challenge:
- Internal Hackathons
Organize a half-day “AI in Procurement” hackathon with your team. Challenge everyone to build a ChatGPT App that solves a single pain point—then demo and vote on the most impactful. - Cross-Functional Pilots
Partner with IT or data analytics to embed ChatGPT Apps into a live report or dashboard. Experiment with live data calls, automated alerts, and scheduled summary emails. - Publish Case Studies
Document your successes—time saved, errors prevented, or negotiation wins achieved—and share them as blog posts or internal presentations. Articulating your value helps secure budget for deeper AI investments down the line.
Your Next Chapter in AI-Enabled Procurement
You’ve proven that no-code ChatGPT Apps can transform routine sourcing tasks. By diving into OpenAI’s advanced courses, experimenting with plugins, engaging with communities, and running your own pilot projects, you’ll push the boundaries of what AI can do for procurement.
The age of the digital assistant is just beginning. Keep exploring, keep iterating—and watch as small automation wins translate into strategic impact for your organization.