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Large Language ModelsAI Business & IndustryTHE DECODERPublished: Aug 10, 2026, 22:00 JST3 min read

OpenAI acquires NextSlide to embed AI presentation generation in ChatGPT

OpenAI acquires NextSlide to embed AI presentation generation in ChatGPT

Key takeaway

  • OpenAI has acquired NextSlide, a startup that automatically converts prompts and documents into editable presentations.

  • Founder Ahmed Beshry is joining OpenAI's product team.

  • The acquisition represents the latest in a string of small team acquisitions by OpenAI aimed at embedding presentation and spreadsheet generation directly into ChatGPT—capabilities the company has already begun rolling out through Excel and PowerPoint plugins.

3 Key Points

  1. What happened

    OpenAI bought NextSlide, a startup that converts prompts, notes, documents, and research into editable presentations. Founder Ahmed Beshry is now on OpenAI's product team building ChatGPT. The deal closed earlier this year, with no purchase price disclosed.

  2. Why it matters

    OpenAI is systematically building presentation and spreadsheet generation into ChatGPT itself. In March the company released a ChatGPT add-in for Microsoft Excel; in May, a plugin for PowerPoint; and as early as summer 2025, it was already testing agents that generate presentations and spreadsheets directly in chat. NextSlide brings that capability in-house and accelerates the roadmap.

  3. What to watch

    This is part of a larger acquisition spree. OpenAI bought analytics startup Statsig for $1.1 billion, and has acquired Sky, Roi, Context.ai, Crossing Minds, and Ona (a German startup formerly known as Gitpod, now working on Codex).

In Depth

Read the full story

OpenAI announced the acquisition of NextSlide, a startup founded by Ahmed Beshry that automates the creation of editable presentations from prompts, notes, documents, and research. Beshry is now working on the product side at OpenAI, building ChatGPT. The NextSlide website, which had launched just over a year ago, now displays only his farewell note. Neither side revealed the purchase price.

Beshry disclosed the deal on LinkedIn, noting that the announcement came "a few months late" and that the deal had closed earlier this year. For Beshry, this marks his second exit: he previously co-founded Caper AI, which sold to Instacart for $350 million in 2021. TechCrunch was the first to report the acquisition.

The acquisition fits into a broader roadmap OpenAI has been executing around presentation and spreadsheet generation. In March, the company released a ChatGPT add-in for Microsoft Excel. In May, it shipped a plugin that works directly inside PowerPoint. By as early as summer 2025, OpenAI was already testing agents that generate presentations and spreadsheets right in the chat, with formats compatible with Microsoft but independent of Microsoft's apps themselves.

NextSlide joins a growing list of small team acquisitions that OpenAI has made. The company has bought Sky, Roi, Context.ai, Crossing Minds, and the analytics startup Statsig for $1.1 billion. In June, OpenAI picked up Ona, a German startup based in Kiel that was formerly known as Gitpod, whose team has since been working on Codex.

Context & Analysis

NextSlide is the latest acquisition in a deliberate strategy by OpenAI to move presentation and spreadsheet creation into ChatGPT itself, rather than relying on third-party integrations. The company has already deployed add-ins for Excel (March) and a plugin for PowerPoint (May), and by summer 2025 was testing native agents capable of generating both presentations and spreadsheets directly within the chat interface. By acquiring NextSlide, OpenAI brings in-house technology that converts unstructured input—prompts, notes, documents, and research—into finished presentations, likely enabling faster iteration and deeper integration with its core product.

Beshry's involvement signals OpenAI's commitment to this vertical: he is now on the product side building ChatGPT itself, rather than operating NextSlide as a separate product. This mirrors OpenAI's broader acquisition pattern, which has focused on small, specialized teams rather than large companies. The company has spent heavily in this space—notably acquiring Statsig for $1.1 billion—while also buying Sky, Roi, Context.ai, Crossing Minds, and Ona (the German startup formerly known as Gitpod, now working on Codex). The pattern suggests OpenAI is building out ChatGPT's capabilities layer by layer, bringing in teams and their expertise where it sees high strategic value.

FAQ

How much did OpenAI pay for NextSlide?
Neither OpenAI nor NextSlide disclosed the purchase price.
When did the deal close?
The deal closed earlier this year, though founder Ahmed Beshry announced it a few months late on LinkedIn.
What has OpenAI already released related to presentations?
In March, OpenAI released a ChatGPT add-in for Microsoft Excel. In May, it shipped a plugin that works directly inside PowerPoint. As early as summer 2025, OpenAI was already testing agents that generate presentations and spreadsheets right in the chat.

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