ChatGPT is opening the platform to apps that do real work

OpenAI is opening app submissions for ChatGPT, allowing developers to publish apps that connect conversations to actions outside the chat. The move will essentially turn a conversation into a starting point for tasks like placing orders, generating files, or running live searches, without switching tools.

Apps work by linking ChatGPT to external systems. Instead of simply describing how to do something, a conversation can pass structured information to an app, which then performs the task and returns the result. The chat remains the interface, while the app handles the actual work in the background.

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This allows transactions to begin directly from a conversation in ChatGPT. For example, a grocery app can take items discussed in chat and submit an order, or a service app can schedule a booking after confirming details through messages. Payment or final confirmation can still happen on the developer’s own site or app.

Going beyond ChatGPT conversations

Apps can also create content that exists beyond the chat. A conversation can be turned into a slide deck, document, or formatted report, with the app generating the file and returning a link or preview. This shifts chat from drafting ideas to producing usable outputs.

Live search will be another common use case. Apps can query external databases for things like apartment listings or product availability, then return current results into the conversation. Users can tweak those results with follow-up messages instead of running new searches elsewhere.

Some apps can interact with user accounts. Depending on permissions, an app could check order status, update preferences, or retrieve account-specific information. The conversation guides what happens, but the app is what reads or updates the data.

A new app directory is now built into ChatGPT. Users can browse featured apps or search for specific ones from the tools menu or through a dedicated apps page. Developers can also share links elsewhere that open directly to their app’s listing in the directory.

Once connected, apps can be triggered by mentioning them by name with an @ mention or by selecting them from the tools menu. ChatGPT is also testing ways to surface relevant apps automatically during conversations based on context and past usage, with clear options for feedback.

For developers, the emphasis is on building around real user intent. OpenAI is offering an Apps SDK in beta to help create chat-native experiences that feel natural in conversation. Apps are expected to be narrowly focused, intuitive to control via messages, and clear about what they do.

OpenAI has published resources to support development, including app submission guidelines, example apps, an open-source UI library for chat interfaces, and a step-by-step quickstart guide. These materials cover the company's expectations for quality, safety, and user experience.

Apps can be submitted through the OpenAI Developer Platform, where developers can track review status and manage details like connectivity, testing requirements, directory metadata, and country availability. Apps that meet quality and safety standards will appear in the directory and could be featured or recommended inside ChatGPT.

Monetization options are limited for now. Developers can link out from their ChatGPT apps to external websites or native apps to complete transactions for physical goods. OpenAI says it is exploring additional options, including digital goods, based on how people use apps.

All apps must follow safety and privacy rules and developers need to provide clear privacy policies and only request data needed for the app to function. When a user connects an app, ChatGPT explains what data could be shared and allows the user to disconnect at any time, which immediately removes access.

OpenAI describes this as an early phase for apps in ChatGPT, with plans to expand discovery and tweak how apps appear and work on the platform.

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