OpenAI is giving developers the power to build apps that live inside ChatGPT

ChatGPT transforms into a hub for interactive apps

OpenAI just took a bold step beyond chat. The company is transforming ChatGPT into a comprehensive platform where users can launch, utilize, and even develop apps directly within their chat window.

Instead of switching tabs or downloading software, you’ll soon be able to design a poster, book a hotel, or explore homes all from a single conversation. It’s a vision that merges convenience, creativity, and productivity into one AI-driven experience.

Developers can now build apps that live inside ChatGPT

At Dev Day 2025, OpenAI unveiled a new Apps SDK, giving developers the tools to create interactive applications that function directly within ChatGPT.

These apps don’t just respond to prompts; they participate in the conversation. Developers can now access the SDK in preview, with app submissions and monetization options expected to follow later this year.

The goal is to transform ChatGPT from a chatbot into a universal app platform in the digital space, where developers can build the next generation of AI-powered tools.

A new era of conversational computing begins

This launch marks the start of what Sam Altman called “a new generation of apps that are interactive, adaptive, and personalized.”

Instead of opening separate apps or websites, users can simply ask ChatGPT to open them. Imagine saying, “Canva, design a logo for my bakery,” or “Zillow, show homes under $500K near Austin.”

The app responds inside ChatGPT, guided by your conversation. It’s frictionless, fluid, and surprisingly human.

ChatGPT now works like an AI-powered operating system

OpenAI’s new strategy effectively turns ChatGPT into an operating system, one that hosts and orchestrates apps instead of just chatting.

These apps can display visuals, maps, playlists, and even full-screen UIs, all while you continue your conversation. The shift positions ChatGPT as the entry point to the digital world, a place where apps, services, and data blend seamlessly through language.

In Altman’s words, “It’s not about asking AI anything; it’s about asking it to do anything for you.”

Big names are already on board at launch

The first wave of ChatGPT-integrated apps includes Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Expedia, Figma, Spotify, and Zillow.

Each app brings unique interactivity from generating travel itineraries to crafting resumes or pulling up real estate maps.

More partners are coming soon, including Uber, Target, DoorDash, and Peloton. OpenAI plans to add hundreds of apps over time, creating what feels like the next evolution of the app store, one that exists entirely inside a chat.

Apps appear when you need them most

You won’t need to hunt for apps anymore. ChatGPT will surface them when they’re helpful. For example, if you mention planning a dinner, ChatGPT might suggest OpenTable to assist you in making reservations, and talking about a road trip?

It might prompt you to use Spotify to build your playlist or Expedia to book hotels. Apps will blend naturally into your conversations, using context to anticipate your needs. This dynamic approach makes digital interactions feel effortless and intuitive.

OpenAI is creating its own version of the app store

This move effectively positions OpenAI as a rival to traditional app stores, such as Apple’s and Google’s. Later this year, developers will be able to submit apps for review and publication inside ChatGPT.

A new app directory will enable users to browse available apps, with high-quality ones prominently featured.

Altman confirmed that monetization features, including Instant Checkout for in-chat purchases, are in active development.

The Apps SDK makes building easier than ever

OpenAI’s Apps SDK provides everything developers need to create chat-native experiences. It’s built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard that connects ChatGPT with external data and tools.

Developers can define logic, design interfaces, and connect backends using their own code. Because it’s open source, apps built with the SDK can also run outside ChatGPT, giving developers flexibility and broader reach across platforms.

Apps adapt to your conversations in real time

These aren’t static mini-programs; they’re conversational apps that respond and evolve as you talk. When you ask Figma to turn a sketch into a design, or Coursera to recommend AI courses, the app understands your intent and adapts accordingly.

Each interaction becomes a feedback loop, powered by the context ChatGPT provides. The result feels less like using an app and more like collaborating with one, a significant step toward the future of contextual computing.

Live demos showed how apps change everyday tasks

During OpenAI’s Dev Day demo, an employee used Canva inside ChatGPT to design a poster for a dog-walking business, then asked it to generate a matching pitch deck.

In another demo, Zillow created an interactive map of homes in Pittsburgh that the user could explore directly in chat.

These examples demonstrate how ChatGPT seamlessly blends creativity, commerce, and conversation into one unified experience, eliminating the need for app switching and clutter for fluid productivity.

Apps blend visuals and interaction seamlessly

Unlike traditional chatbots, apps in ChatGPT can render interactive UI components like maps, videos, and playlists directly in the chat.

Users can resize them, go full screen, or request real-time updates, for instance, seeing hotel prices refresh on Booking.com or modifying a Canva design on the fly.

This hybrid model merges the conversational ease of AI with the visual power of modern web apps, creating experiences that feel alive and context-aware.

Privacy and transparency are built into the system

OpenAI advises developers to collect only the minimum data necessary and clearly disclose what’s being shared.

When you first use an app, ChatGPT will prompt you to connect and explain what permissions it requires. Users can choose how much data to share, ensuring transparency and control over their information.

Later this year, OpenAI plans to introduce even more granular privacy settings, allowing you to decide which types of information each app can access while keeping your broader chat history private.

Developers can reach hundreds of millions instantly

With over 700 million weekly users, ChatGPT offers developers something every startup dreams of: instant global reach.

By building inside ChatGPT, apps gain exposure to one of the largest active audiences in tech, without needing to develop distribution channels from scratch.

For developers, this is a direct pipeline to potential customers; for users, it means the best tools will surface exactly when they’re most helpful.

Monetization will open new business opportunities

OpenAI plans to introduce monetization features later this year, allowing developers to charge for their apps directly within ChatGPT.

This could include one-time purchases, subscriptions, or usage-based payments through OpenAI’s integrated checkout system.

It’s a model similar to the App Store but with a conversational twist. Imagine buying a Coursera course or ordering from DoorDash without ever leaving the chat. It’s commerce reimagined through conversation.

OpenAI’s new infrastructure standards power apps

Behind the scenes, OpenAI’s Model Context Protocol ensures that apps run smoothly and securely. This protocol lets ChatGPT exchange structured data with external systems, call APIs, and trigger interactive responses.

It’s what enables Spotify to play songs or Zillow to load live maps directly within the chat interface. This unified technical backbone ensures that apps behave consistently while providing developers with the flexibility to innovate without having to reinvent the wheel.

Want to see how OpenAI plans to make ChatGPT even smarter? Learn more about OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT, which may reshape your AI workflow.

ChatGPT’s future is more than conversation; it’s creation

This move solidifies OpenAI’s evolution from a chatbot pioneer to an ecosystem builder. ChatGPT is no longer just a place to ask questions; it’s becoming the place to get things done.

From generating art to booking flights to learning new skills, the boundaries between apps and AI are dissolving.

In the coming years, ChatGPT could become as central to everyday computing as browsers once were, not by replacing the web, but by making it conversational, contextual, and alive.

OpenAI’s growing influence isn’t just technological, it’s financial too. See how significant the shift really is as OpenAI’s nonprofit parent secures a $100 billion equity stake while maintaining control of the AI giant. 700 million weekly users” (appears once).

What do you think about OpenAI giving developers many more convenient features to make it more handy with ChatGPT? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.