News

OpenAI Opens ChatGPT Developer Platform with In-Chat App Integrations

• By John K. Waters
• October 6, 2025

OpenAI has officially opened the doors to a new developer ecosystem for ChatGPT, introducing in-chat applications and a developer SDK that allows third-party tools and services to integrate directly within ChatGPT conversations. The launch begins the transformation of the chatbot from a closed conversational assistant into a programmable AI runtime capable of connecting to the broader web and enterprise APIs.

A New Developer Channel Inside ChatGPT
With the new feature, developers can now build and distribute applications that users invoke naturally during a chat—either by name or through contextual suggestions generated by the model. The integrations debut with partners including Spotify, Zillow, and Canva, giving ChatGPT’s estimated 800 million users a seamless way to access external services without leaving the chat interface.

For developers, this represents an entirely new distribution channel—an AI-native equivalent of the app store, but embedded directly in natural language interaction.

Built on Open Standards
The developer SDK is built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard that enables the connection of AI systems to external data, APIs, and tools. This means applications can interact with ChatGPT using a consistent protocol rather than proprietary extensions.

Developers can begin building and testing right away, with a formal submission and review process for public listings scheduled to launch later in 2025. The platform supports both personal and enterprise-level integrations, and OpenAI has published detailed technical and policy documentation to guide developers through the implementation process.

Limited Rollout, Broad Roadmap
Initially, the in-chat apps are rolling out to logged-in users outside the EU, across both free and paid tiers of ChatGPT. Seven pilot partners went live this week with English-language support. OpenAI plans to extend access to EU users and its Business, Enterprise, and Education customers over the coming months.

An additional 11 partner integrations are in the pipeline for later this year, signaling that the platform will expand steadily as the SDK ecosystem matures.

Monetization and the Agentic Commerce Protocol
OpenAI says it will share details on developer monetization "later this year," including a framework called the Agentic Commerce Protocol—designed to support secure, in-chat transactions between users and apps. While specifics on revenue sharing and fees remain undisclosed, the company confirmed that apps meeting higher standards for design, reliability, and safety will receive priority placement within conversations and in a forthcoming app directory.

Privacy and Data Controls
Developers will need to adhere to OpenAI’s usage and privacy policies, with clear data handling disclosures for every app, the company says. Users must explicitly grant permissions the first time they connect an app, and OpenAI plans to introduce granular data-sharing controls later in 2025, enabling users to define which data categories an app can access.

This approach mirrors mobile app permission models, but is adapted for conversational contexts where APIs are invoked dynamically based on intent and context.

The Bigger Picture: From App Store to Chat Store
For developers, this launch marks the beginning of a potential paradigm shift: from building mobile or web apps to building agentic applications that operate conversationally.

By embedding third-party services directly into ChatGPT, OpenAI is effectively testing whether conversational access can rival traditional app ecosystems, such as Apple’s App Store or Google Play. The payoff could be significant: integration partners gain access to users at the precise moment of intent, when ChatGPT determines a service is contextually relevant.

As Zillow’s head of AI, John Weisberg, put it, the goal is to make experiences like real estate search "faster, easier, and more intuitive" through AI-driven conversation rather than app navigation.

Developer Outlook
The long-term success of OpenAI’s new platform will depend on developer adoption and the strength of the MCP ecosystem. If the standard gains traction, ChatGPT could evolve into a universal interface layer, one where developers don’t just ship code, but cooperate with AI agents to deliver services dynamically.

For now, developers have a new frontier to explore,  building the first generation of in-chat applications for the world’s most widely used conversational AI.