OpenAI has unveiled a major update to its flagship AI product, ChatGPT, allowing developers to build apps inside ChatGPT that users can access directly during conversations. The announcement came at OpenAI’s annual developer conference, DevDay 2025.
“[Apps inside ChatGPT] will enable a new generation of apps that are interactive, adaptive, and personalized,” said CEO Sam Altman. “We want ChatGPT to help people be more productive, inventive, and learn faster.”
Seamless Integration with Popular Services
Starting Monday, ChatGPT users can interact with applications from major platforms such as Booking.com, Expedia, Spotify, Figma, Coursera, Zillow, and Canva. Unlike previous initiatives like the GPT Store, which required users to access a separate app marketplace, the new system embeds apps directly in ChatGPT’s responses.
Users can now prompt ChatGPT in natural language to trigger apps. For example:
- “Figma, turn this sketch into a workable diagram.”
- “Coursera, can you teach me something about machine learning?”
- Zillow integration allows users to search for apartments within a price range, displaying an interactive map within the ChatGPT interface.
- Spotify integration can automatically generate playlists based on user requests.
How ChatGPT Apps Work
OpenAI built the system using the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which enables developers to connect external data sources and create interactive user interfaces directly inside ChatGPT. Certain apps can even display videos that are pinned within the chat window and updated in real-time according to user inputs.
Subscribers to integrated apps can log into their accounts from ChatGPT, and OpenAI plans to enable monetization options in the future, including its Instant Checkout feature. Upcoming integrations will include services like DoorDash, Instacart, Uber, and AllTrails.
Privacy and Data Considerations
A major concern for apps in ChatGPT is user privacy. OpenAI has instructed developers to collect only the minimum necessary data and remain transparent about permissions. However, it remains unclear whether third-party developers can access entire conversations, recent messages, or only the specific prompt that triggered the app.
With this launch, apps inside ChatGPT promise to create a richer, more interactive AI experience, giving developers new distribution opportunities while providing users with powerful, personalized tools directly inside their conversations.