ChatGPT Ushers in a New Era of Apps: A Deep Dive into the Apps SDK and New Interactive Experiences

OpenAI is officially introducing conversational applications (Apps) to ChatGPT and simultaneously launching a new Apps SDK, completely changing the way we interact with AI. From booking rooms and designing presentations to ordering food, explore how this update brings a seamlessly integrated experience for users and opens up vast business opportunities for developers to reach hundreds of millions of users worldwide.

ChatGPT is No Longer Just for Chatting, It’s Evolving into a Platform

Imagine you no longer need to switch back and forth between various applications. When you’re planning a trip to Paris in ChatGPT, it can directly call Booking.com to help you find a hotel; when you’re discussing a playlist for a weekend party, you can ask Spotify to create one immediately. This isn’t a vision of the future; it’s the reality OpenAI has just unveiled for us.

On October 6, 2025, OpenAI dropped a bombshell, officially announcing the introduction of a new “Apps” feature in ChatGPT and launching a new “Apps SDK” for developers. This innovation means that ChatGPT is transforming from a powerful conversational tool into an application platform full of infinite possibilities.

Simply put, this is a new generation of applications that can “talk” to you, and a set of tools that allow developers to build them. They will naturally integrate into your conversations, making creating, learning, and completing tasks more fluid than ever before.

So, What Exactly Are Apps in ChatGPT?

You might ask, how is this different from the old plugins? The biggest difference is “seamless integration.” These new-generation applications are like native parts of your conversation, able to understand context and appear when you need them most.

The usage is very intuitive, with two main methods:

1. Direct Call: You can mention them directly at the beginning of a conversation. For example, typing “Spotify, make me a playlist for a Friday party,” and ChatGPT will automatically launch the Spotify app and use the information from the conversation to fulfill your request.
2. Smart Recommendation: ChatGPT can also proactively suggest relevant apps based on your conversation content. For example, when you’re discussing the precautions for buying a house with ChatGPT, it might automatically recommend the Zillow app, allowing you to browse listings directly in the chatbox.

These applications are not just text responses; they also include rich interactive interfaces, such as maps, playlists, presentation previews, etc., which can be used directly in the chat window. The first time you use an app, ChatGPT will prompt you to connect and clearly inform you what data may be shared, giving you complete control over your information.

This is the charm of the new generation of apps—they combine familiar interactive elements with new conversational methods, making the experience more user-friendly. You can first list an outline, then ask Canva to turn it into a beautiful presentation; or while watching a course video on Coursera, you can ask ChatGPT at any time for a more detailed explanation of a concept in the video.

Which Apps Are Launching First? A Look at the Initial Partners

To make a big splash, OpenAI has teamed up with a small group of top partners to launch the first batch of applications. Currently, all logged-in ChatGPT free, Go, Plus, and Pro users worldwide (excluding the EU region) can start experiencing these features.

The first wave of online partners includes:

• Booking.com
• Canva
• Coursera
• Expedia
• Figma
• Spotify
• Zillow

John Weisberg, Head of Artificial Intelligence at Zillow, said: “The Zillow app in ChatGPT shows how AI can make the real estate experience more human. We are working with OpenAI to bring an unprecedented experience to millions of people—a conversational guide that makes finding a home faster, easier, and more intuitive.”

Not only that, but more exciting partners will be joining later this year, and the list covers almost every aspect of life:

• AllTrails
• DoorDash
• Khan Academy
• Instacart
• Peloton
• OpenTable
• Target
• TheFork
• Tripadvisor
• Thumbtack
• Uber

As more and more developers get involved, we can foresee that this application ecosystem will grow and thrive rapidly.

Developers, Look Here: The New Apps SDK Opens Up Infinite Possibilities

This update is not just for users; it’s also a window of opportunity for developers worldwide. With the new Apps SDK preview, developers can now start building their own ChatGPT applications, directly reaching over 800 million ChatGPT users globally.

So, as a developer, how do you get started?

The core of the Apps SDK is built on an open standard called the “Model Context Protocol (MCP).” This standard allows ChatGPT to securely connect to external tools and data. Even better, the Apps SDK itself is open source, which means that applications built with it can run on any platform that adopts this standard.

Developers can:

• Use their own code: Freely define the application’s interface and chat logic.
• Connect to existing backends: Allow existing customers to log in directly or use paid features.
• Refer to rich documentation: OpenAI has released an open-source repository with design guidelines and examples to help developers create excellent experiences that blend interaction and conversation.

Developers can immediately start building and testing applications and debug them in ChatGPT’s “Developer Mode.” OpenAI expects to begin accepting application submissions for review and publication later this year.

Security and Privacy, Not One Less

While opening up the ecosystem, security and privacy are OpenAI’s top priorities. They have established clear policies to ensure that all applications provide users with a safe and positive experience.

• Strict Policies: Every app must comply with OpenAI’s usage policies, the content must be suitable for all audiences, and it must comply with the partner rules for third-party integration.
• Transparent Permissions: Developers must provide a clear privacy policy, collect only the most necessary data, and be transparent about permissions.
• User Control: When users connect an app for the first time, they will receive a clear prompt to understand what data may be shared. In the future, OpenAI will also provide more granular control options, allowing users to decide which specific data categories each app can use to personalize results.

Future Roadmap: Commercialization and Platform Expansion

This is just the beginning. OpenAI’s roadmap goes far beyond this.

Next, applications will be extended to the ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, and Edu versions. At the same time, an official application directory will be launched to allow users to easily browse and search. Applications that meet the developer guideline standards will be eligible for listing, and those with more outstanding design and functionality will have the opportunity to be recommended more prominently in the directory and conversations.

Even more exciting is that details about “commercialization” will be announced soon. This will include support for the new “Agentic Commerce Protocol,” an open standard that will allow users to achieve real-time checkout in ChatGPT.

From a chatbot to a thriving application platform, ChatGPT is opening a new chapter in AI interaction. Whether you are a user who relies on it every day or a creative developer, this is an era worth looking forward to.

Source

https://openai.com/index/introducing-apps-in-chatgpt/