ChatGPT to evolve into an AI operating system as OpenAI opens doors to third-party apps

OpenAI has launched apps inside ChatGPT, a new feature allowing users to discover and use third-party applications directly within the chat interface.

ChatGPT can suggest relevant apps during a conversation, or users can invoke them by name, enabling tasks like browsing data, generating visuals, booking services, or accessing productivity and enterprise tools, without leaving the chat.

“Today, we are going to open up ChatGPT for developers to build real apps inside of ChatGPT. This will enable a new generation of apps that are interactive, adaptive, and personalized that you can chat with,” Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, said during OpenAI’s Developer Day keynote.

The initial pilot includes apps from Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, Spotify, and Zillow in English for logged-in users outside the EU across Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans. Additional partners and EU availability are planned later this year.

ChatGPT as an AI operating layer

Apps in ChatGPT could take the AI assistant beyond simple conversation, positioning it as an ambient operating layer where third-party software can exist, transact, and interact without leaving the chat thread.

“This move effectively positions ChatGPT as an AI operating system or conversational runtime, letting users discover, invoke, and interact with multiple mini-apps and services entirely within a chat-driven interface,” said Pareekh Jain, CEO at EIIRTrend & Pareekh Consulting. “It is edging closer to an OS-like layer for tasks and services.”

“Traditional operating systems organize processes; ChatGPT organizes purpose. Each command is understood and acted upon through intent, not syntax,” said Sanchit Vir Gogia, CEO and chief analyst at Greyhound Research.

Developers gain ground with the Apps SDK

At the core of this expansion is the Apps SDK, which allows developers to build applications that operate within ChatGPT.  The Apps SDK is built on the open standard Model Context Protocol (MCP), which enables ChatGPT to link with external data sources and tools. With the Apps SDK, developers will get access to the full stack, including connecting their data, triggering actions, and rendering a fully interactive UI.

Additional features supported include allowing existing subscribers to log in, right from the conversation in ChatGPT. OpenAI also plans to support ways to monetize, including the new agentic commerce protocol that offers instant checkout right inside ChatGPT, said the company.

OpenAI has also made the Apps SDK open source, enabling developers to deploy their ChatGPT apps across any platform that adopts the standard.

The company claims developers who choose to build apps for ChatGPT can reach over 800 million users. 

Developers consider market reach, not code complexity, as the greatest barrier to return on investment,” noted Gogia. “The new SDK removes that bottleneck. It effectively turns the chat surface into a commercial marketplace with immediate reach to hundreds of millions of users.”

While the Apps SDK opens new opportunities, it is still in preview, and analysts caution that developers must contend with constraints.

“Developers should expect limited UI flexibility within ChatGPT’s chat-first interface and constraints around state retention, latency, API limits, and user data access. Identity and authentication follow OpenAI’s protocols, with restricted access to user PII (personally identifiable information),” added Jain.  Key risks include typical platform risks like dependency on OpenAI’s evolving policies, potential competition from its partners, and heightened compliance and security requirements, especially for enterprise or regulated use, he added.

The enterprise opportunity

OpenAI also plans to launch apps to ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, and Edu later this year, where developers will be able to launch a dedicated directory where users can browse and search for them. However, only those apps that meet the standards provided by Apps SDK developer guidelines will be eligible to be listed, and those that meet higher design and functionality standards are likely to be featured prominently in both the directory and in conversations, stated the company.

Gogia added that with the arrival of business and enterprise editions, organisations will soon deploy internal apps using the same Model Context Protocol but with single sign-on, logging, and role-based access. ChatGPT can then serve as a controlled front end for HR systems, analytics dashboards, and IT service operations.

He added that for many companies, this will mark the start of the conversational enterprise where internal processes run through a single, policy-bound chat interface. It has the potential to reshape how information, approval, and accountability move through the organization.