Open Access

Rainer Schmidt, Rainer AltORCiD, Alfred ZimmermannORCiD

• This research investigates platform shifts as transformative change. Utilizing Yin's methodology, we examine the transition from single platforms to assistant platforms and its impact on value creation by employing ChatGPT as a single case study. The key findings indicate that the democratization of module creation, actor integration, resource integration, creation, liquefaction, and the network structure are driving the shift to assistant platforms. Platform shifts affect value creation by fostering externalities such as complementarities and network effects and enabling higher-order externalities. These encompass network effects spanning multiple platforms and complementarities connecting three or more modules. The study concludes with strategic recommendations for developers and policymakers to address these characteristics of platform shifts. It aims to enhance the theoretical understanding of platform shifts and digital ecosystems by providing an integrated perspective of the role of generative AI in shaping the technological landscape.