OpenAI has acquired NextSlide, a startup that transforms prompts, notes, documents, and research into editable presentations. The acquisition aims to integrate AI-generated presentations into ChatGPT, expanding the platform's capabilities. Founder Ahmed Beshry, who previously co-founded Caper AI, now works on the product side at OpenAI, focusing on ChatGPT development. The NextSlide website, which launched over a year ago, now displays Beshry’s farewell note, indicating the company’s transition under OpenAI ownership. Neither OpenAI nor NextSlide disclosed the purchase price, though Beshry noted the deal closed earlier this year. This marks Beshry’s second exit, following the sale of Caper AI to Instacart for $350 million in 2021.
The acquisition comes as part of OpenAI’s strategy to enhance its AI tools with features like generating presentations and spreadsheets directly in chat, compatible with Microsoft formats. In March, NextSlide released a ChatGPT add-in for Microsoft Excel, and in May, it launched a plugin for PowerPoint. These developments align with OpenAI’s broader efforts to integrate AI into productivity tools. The move also follows a series of small team acquisitions, including Sky, Roi, Context.ai, and Statsig, which OpenAI purchased for $1.1 billion. In June, OpenAI acquired Ona, a German startup based in Kiel, formerly known as Gitpod, to further expand its AI capabilities.
OpenAI’s acquisition of NextSlide underscores its commitment to integrating AI into mainstream productivity applications. The company has been testing agents that generate presentations and spreadsheets in chat since summer 2025, independent of Microsoft’s apps. This acquisition is part of a larger trend of OpenAI acquiring smaller firms to bolster its AI ecosystem and expand its offerings to users. The integration of NextSlide’s technology into ChatGPT is expected to streamline the creation of professional presentations, leveraging AI to automate complex tasks.
Source: thedecoder
