OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT beyond a chatbot and turning it into a platform where users can discover, connect to, and use third-party applications directly inside conversations. Instead of searching for and downloading separate apps, ChatGPT can recommend relevant tools when it recognizes that they could help complete a task.
Developers can now build more interactive experiences inside ChatGPT, including panels that allow users to work with services without leaving the conversation. OpenAI is also introducing Sign in with ChatGPT, allowing users to carry their ChatGPT identity and available AI usage into compatible third-party applications. Initial partners include services such as Notion, Vercel, and Devin.
The company is also expanding its plugin ecosystem and launching an enterprise marketplace featuring software from companies including Adobe, Figma, Salesforce, ServiceNow, CrowdStrike, and others. OpenAI says its broader ecosystem now includes thousands of connected apps.
Another major part of the strategy is OpenAI’s AI agents, which can choose and use connected tools to complete tasks on the user’s behalf. This could change how people interact with software: instead of deciding which application to open, users may simply describe what they want accomplished and allow the AI to select the appropriate tools.
The approach could eventually provide developers with another distribution channel outside traditional mobile app stores. However, OpenAI has not yet announced a full billing or revenue-sharing system comparable to those used by Apple and Google.
