Livestream: Building a React Native ChatGPT App with Cursor and OpenAI

Melvin Vivas · X post · 2026-09-14 · Open on X

Topics: AI Dev Tools & Productivity, Portfolio Projects · Level: beginner

Summary

The creator is restarting his YouTube channel and shares an older full livestream where he builds a React Native ChatGPT app with Cursor, the OpenAI API and Expo. He notes that this was from the pre-agentic, copy-paste era of Cursor. He plans new live builds using Codex, agents and local models.

Key points

• The livestream builds a React Native (iOS) ChatGPT-style app that integrates the OpenAI API.
• The tools used are Cursor (AI code editor), OpenAI and Expo.
• The linked timestamp (t=5160s, about 1:26:00) jumps into the middle of the build.
• It shows the older copy-paste workflow, before agentic coding tools.
• Upcoming content will cover live builds with Codex, agents and local models.

Resources mentioned

• Melvin Vivas YouTube channel · channel · youtube.com · free
  The creator's channel with livestreams and videos on building apps with AI tools.
  Also in: Melvin Vivas YouTube channel for live replays (Melvin Vivas on X · notes)
• [Full livestream] Build a React Native ChatGPT app using Cursor, OpenAI, and Expo · video · youtube.com · free
  A full livestream building an iOS ChatGPT app with React Native, Expo, the OpenAI API and Cursor.
• Cursor · tool · x.com · free · recommended by both Bashiri Smith & Melvin Vivas
  AI-native code editor (VS Code with AI built in).
  Also in: GLM 5.3 and GLM 5.3 Flash now in Cursor (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), Grok Bot Can Now Hand Off Coding Tasks to Cursor (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), Why Plan Mode Still Matters in AI Coding Assistants (Codex, Claude, Cursor) (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), Why Plan Mode Still Matters in AI Coding Agents (Codex, Claude, Cursor) (Melvin Vivas on X · notes) and 121 more
• OpenAI API · tool · platform.openai.com · paid · recommended by both Bashiri Smith & Melvin Vivas
  OpenAI API documentation, including function calling and structured outputs.
  Also in: How to Relearn LLMs & RAG in 2026: A 7-Step Roadmap with Free Resources (Bashiri Smith on Facebook · notes), GPT-Live-1: OpenAI's Full-Duplex Voice Model for Voice Agents in the API (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), The 3 Levels of AI Engineering: LLM Apps → Production → Agentic Systems (Bashiri Smith on Facebook · notes), GPT Image 2 Adds Transparent Background Support in the OpenAI API (Melvin Vivas on X · notes) and 4 more
• Expo · tool · expo.dev · free
  A framework and platform for building React Native apps.
• OpenAI Codex · tool · openai.com · paid
  OpenAI's coding agent. In the diagram it writes code, fixes review findings and drives the build loop. The creator also used it to make this video.
  Also in: An agent bot that installs and drives Codex on its own (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), Asking a Coder bot to install Codex (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), Sign in with ChatGPT: Setting Usage Limits for Each App (Melvin Vivas on X · notes), Codex Cloud Environments Must Be Saved & Published Before Use (Melvin Vivas on X · notes) and 240 more

Try this

• Watch the full livestream to see an AI-assisted app build from start to finish.
• Subscribe to the channel for upcoming live builds with Codex, agents and local models.
• Build a React Native ChatGPT app with Expo and the OpenAI API.
• Rebuild the same app with an agentic coding tool such as Codex and compare it with the copy-paste workflow.