ChatGPT Apps Are Here: What OpenAI’s DevDay 2025 Launch Means for You

OpenAI has transformed ChatGPT into more than just a chat interface; it’s now a platform where apps reside, allowing for seamless integration into your conversations. During DevDay 2025 on October 6 in San Francisco, the company unveiled apps within ChatGPT and introduced a new Apps SDK, enabling developers to create interactive, third-party experiences directly in your chats. If you’ve ever wanted to draft a playlist, create slide presentations, search for listings on a map, or turn sketches into diagrams—all without changing tabs—this update is for you.

Why This Matters

ChatGPT has a colossal user base, and OpenAI shared impressive milestones: over 800 million weekly users, 4 million developers engaging with its platform, and a staggering 6 billion tokens per minute processed. Launching an app platform within a product of such scale is a clear indication that conversational interfaces are establishing themselves as the operating system for daily tasks.

What Are ChatGPT Apps?

ChatGPT apps are interactive experiences from third-party developers that you can summon by name, or that ChatGPT may suggest based on the context of your conversation. These apps can understand natural language and include UI elements like maps, media players, and diagrams directly within the chat interface. Early partners at launch include Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Expedia, Figma, Spotify, and Zillow, with more expected to join soon.

Examples in Action

• Invoke “Spotify, make a playlist for my Friday party,” and the app responds right within the chat.
• Ask “Zillow, show me 3-bedroom listings under $900k in Seattle,” and you can explore an interactive map without leaving ChatGPT.
• Say “Figma, turn this sketch into a FigJam diagram,” and witness a live, editable interface pop up in your conversation.

Currently, apps are available to all logged-in ChatGPT users (except in the EU) across Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans. Access for EU users is on the horizon, and additional partners will be integrated over the coming months.

How to Use ChatGPT Apps

There are two main ways to utilize an app:
1. Refer directly to it in your message: “Canva, create a 10-slide deck from this outline.”
2. Allow ChatGPT to suggest the appropriate app when your dialogue indicates you may need one, such as bringing up Zillow when discussing home buying.

When you use an app for the first time, you’ll be asked to connect it and review the data it may access. You can also discover apps via the Tools menu or by typing “/” in the message composer.

Inside the Technology: Apps SDK and MCP

For developers, the Apps SDK (currently in preview) allows you to outline both the logic and interface of your app, which can then run inside ChatGPT. It utilizes the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open framework that connects AI assistants with external tools and data. Apps built using the SDK can feature fully interactive components right in the chat and are designed to operate in any environment that adopts this standard. The SDK is open source during its preview phase.

From a high-level perspective, MCP exposes tools that the model can call upon, returning structured results that the model can process and displaying embedded UI elements that ChatGPT can render. This setup ensures that your app’s backend, the AI model, and the chat UI remain coordinated.

What Developers Should Know

• Broad Reach: Apps can connect with over 800 million weekly ChatGPT users as part of regular conversations.
• Contextual Discovery: Apps can be suggested naturally instead of just being searched or browsed, enhancing both engagement and ongoing usage.
• Interactive UI Inside Chat: Apps show components like maps, media players, and forms inline without needing to divert users to separate tabs.
• Open Standard: MCP simplifies integration by standardizing tool descriptors, authentication, and metadata.

Advancements From Previous Models

OpenAI has experimented with plugins, custom GPTs, and the GPT Store, but this new approach integrates apps directly into ChatGPT’s responses, making them first-class interactive elements. This represents a more thorough integration than past efforts, which primarily relegated interactions to separate areas or required context switching. This enhances distribution for developers while providing a more fluid experience for users.

Privacy and Safety Considerations

OpenAI mandates that every app comply with usage policies, be suitable for all audiences, and follow partner guidelines. Upon your first use of an app, ChatGPT will clarify what data may be shared and prompt you to connect. This approach aims to enhance user transparency and control over data flow in the chat environment.

Availability and Future Plans

• Current Status: Apps are now accessible to logged-in users outside the EU using Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans. Pilot partners are live where they operate, initially in English.
• Future Developments: OpenAI plans to begin accepting app submissions for review and publication later this year, along with monetization details and further expansion in partner availability. The rollout to EU users is expected as well.

Highlights from DevDay 2025

OpenAI’s app platform launch coincided with several developer-centric updates:
– AgentKit: A toolkit designed for creating robust agents with a visual builder, embedable chat UI (ChatKit), configurable safety measures, and enhanced evaluations.
– GPT-5 Pro in the API: A premium option for precise tasks; with enhanced coding and autonomous capabilities across models.
– Sora 2 in the API: Video generation capabilities for integration.
– Codex: Now generally available with Slack integration, SDK, and enterprise-level controls.

These announcements emphasize OpenAI’s commitment to enhancing agent capabilities, multimodal functionality, and developer usability, complementing the new app platform.

Practical Uses of ChatGPT Apps

For both curious users and professionals, here are some immediate applications of ChatGPT apps:
– Travel Planning: Ask “Booking.com, create a 5-day itinerary for Tokyo in March with family-friendly hotels and public transit tips.”
– Learning While Watching: “Coursera, play the lesson on decision trees and pause when important terms appear.”
– Quick Design: “Canva, convert this outline into a conference deck featuring a minimalist design.”
– Home Exploration: “Zillow, show townhomes under $500k in Austin with walkability scores above 70.”
– Sketch to Structure: “Figma, transform this photo of a whiteboard sketch into a FigJam flowchart.”

For Developers: Starting Your ChatGPT App

If you’re technically inclined, you can start developing your app using the Apps SDK in preview:
1. Review the Apps SDK documentation and design guidelines to understand chat-first UI principles.
2. Set up an MCP server exposing your tool’s capabilities, providing structured results and optional embedded components.
3. Utilize Developer Mode in ChatGPT to test your app, experiment with prompts, and adjust metadata for better discoverability.
4. Plan your authentication and data processes early, as the SDK provides guidance on OAuth 2.1 and secure resource management.
5. Monitor quality and compliance; treat tool calls and responses as part of your project’s observability strategy.

OpenAI will accept submissions later this year and provide monetization details, so now is the time to prototype and gather feedback ahead of the app directory opening.

Tips for an Optimal In-Chat Experience

• Use short, memorable names and natural verbs for your tools to enhance discovery.
• Return structured JSON and brief text summaries; let UI components manage the heavy lifting.
• Design components that adapt gracefully if the conversation context shifts.
• Clearly explain what data you need and why at the user’s first connection.
• Test using real conversations, not just scripted requests.

Ecosystem Developments

Potential Impact on Hardware

In conjunction with the software updates, AMD and OpenAI have formed a strategic partnership to deploy up to 6 gigawatts of AMD Instinct GPUs over multiple years. AMD will grant OpenAI a warrant for purchasing up to 160 million AMD shares as performance milestones are achieved—an unusually large equity structure designed to align long-term compute supply with AI platform growth.

Emerging E-Commerce Features

India’s payments authority, NPCI, along with fintech company Razorpay, have initiated a pilot with OpenAI to enable UPI-based e-commerce payments directly within ChatGPT. The aim is to explore secure, user-authorized transactions in chat, with initial partners including Axis Bank, Airtel Payments Bank, and Bigbasket. If agents can assist users in discovering products and completing transactions seamlessly, shopping could evolve into a conversational interaction.

Funding Context

OpenAI’s growth trajectory is influencing market perceptions. Reports in 2025 indicate that OpenAI pursued a secondary share sale at around a $500 billion valuation, with subsequent adjustments increasing the size to approximately $10.3 billion for employee liquidity. While valuations can fluctuate, this scale underscores investor confidence in OpenAI’s future aspirations.

Implications for Users

• Streamlined Tasks: Apps integrate common activities directly into your chat, minimizing context switching and enabling quicker task completion.
• Enhanced Responses: Replies can feature interactive elements like maps or media for immediate usability.
• Personalized Experiences: Apps can log you into existing accounts, offering relevant content and functionalities.

What It Means for Businesses

• New Distribution Channels: Contextual app suggestions can introduce your service to users precisely when it is most pertinent.
• Accelerated User Journeys: The seamless flow from discovery to action can shorten the path to value creation.
• Improved Conversion Opportunities: Inline UI reduces drop-offs, compared to directing users to another site or app.
• Standardized Integration: MCP’s open specifications offer a smoother path for integrating tools, making them more portable.

Risks and Open Questions

• User Trust and Policy: Users require clear consent and control over data accessed by apps. OpenAI outlines policies at first use, but developers need to prioritize privacy principles in their designs.
• Algorithmic Suggestions: If ChatGPT starts recommending apps, the relevance and visibility of these suggestions will be essential; optimizing metadata and usage signals will be critical for discoverability.
• EU Access: Currently, the app rollout is outside the EU, but expansion is anticipated. Regulatory alignment will be essential.
• Monetization Strategies: OpenAI plans to outline app submission processes and monetization methods later this year, impacting the economic viability of the ecosystem.

How to Get Started

• For Users: Experiment with partner apps for various tasks this week. Observe how the integrated UI enhances your experience.
• For Developers: Prototype a straightforward, high-impact workflow. Focus on simplicity, measurability, and user delight. Utilize the SDK preview to test and refine your app.
• For Product Leaders: Identify points in your user journey where a chat-first approach could streamline processes. Consider authentication, compliance, and observability strategies when deploying in-chat UIs.

Key Takeaways

• ChatGPT now supports third-party apps featuring interactive UI within chats. Apps can be called by name or suggested by the system.
• Developers can create apps using the preview Apps SDK, based on the open Model Context Protocol.
• Early partners include Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Expedia, Figma, Spotify, and Zillow, with further integrations and EU rollout plans in the works.
• DevDay 2025 highlighted new initiatives like AgentKit, GPT-5 Pro, and Sora 2, pointing toward a sustained focus on agents and multimodal creation advancements.
• Strategic partnerships regarding compute capacity and payment systems indicate a broader ecosystem strategy, from hardware supply to in-chat commerce.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do I need a paid subscription to access apps?

No, apps are accessible for all logged-in ChatGPT users outside the EU on Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans. EU access is anticipated soon.

2. How can I find and use these apps?

Initiate your message with the app name, check the Tools menu, or type “/”. ChatGPT can also suggest relevant apps based on the conversation context.

3. Are these apps secure and private?

OpenAI mandates that apps adhere to usage policies, and users are informed of any data sharing when connecting an app. You remain in control and can disconnect whenever necessary.

4. How can developers create an app?

Utilize the Apps SDK preview to establish an MCP server, define your tools, and test within ChatGPT using Developer Mode. OpenAI will accept submissions later this year and will provide monetization guidelines.

5. How do apps differ from the previous GPT Store?

Apps are integrated directly into ChatGPT’s responses, featuring interactive UI, and can be suggested contextually, improving distribution and user interaction.

Conclusion

The introduction of apps in ChatGPT is a significant leap toward creating a dynamic platform for task completion. Users benefit from fewer context switches and more actionable responses, while developers and businesses gain enhanced distribution, discoverability, and a standard framework to integrate services seamlessly into ongoing conversations. With initiatives like AgentKit and advancements across the model spectrum, DevDay 2025 signifies a pivotal moment where AI-driven agents and in-chat applications become integral to how we create, learn, and engage. If you’re involved in software development or tech, now is the time to explore, adapt, and prepare for the app directory set to launch later this year.