OpenAI has unveiled a new platform that enables third-party apps to run within ChatGPT. At its annual developer event, DevDay 2025, held in San Francisco on October 6th (local time), CEO Sam Altman introduced the new app ecosystem, saying, "We aim to make ChatGPT a tool that makes people's lives more productive and creative."
The keynote of this announcement is the "app" that operates directly within the ChatGPT conversation window. Users can now interactively load and interact with apps developed by companies like Booking.com, Expedia, Spotify, Figma, Coursera, Zillow, and Canva. For example, saying, "Figma, turn this sketch into a diagram," will invoke the Figma app and perform the actual action.
This is made possible by the App SDK and the Model Context Protocol (MCP). The App SDK is a developer toolkit that enables the implementation of conversational UIs within apps, while the MCP connects external data and AI models to enable interactions. This system goes beyond simple responses and can directly implement various UI elements within ChatGPT conversations, such as video display, map navigation, and purchasing functionality.
OpenAI announced plans to support apps like DoorDash, Instacart, Uber, and AllTrails within ChatGPT in the future. Some apps already support login functionality, allowing users to access personalized features through user accounts. Furthermore, the recently introduced "Instant Checkout" feature will also provide in-app payment systems.
This platform differentiates itself from the existing GPT Store. While the GPT Store functioned as a separate app store, this app's features seamlessly integrate into ChatGPT's conversation flow, enhancing the user experience and providing developers with greater distribution opportunities.
In the demo, when requesting a party playlist via ChatGPT, the Spotify app was automatically called, and the entire process of designing a dog walking poster, suggesting a city expansion, and then searching for properties in that city using the Zillow app was shown in real time.
Through this app ecosystem, OpenAI aims to build a new user interface that goes beyond web and mobile. Nick Turley, Head of Product at ChatGPT, said, "We wanted to create a 'super assistant,' not a chatbot. We envision a future where people start their day with ChatGPT."
