You can now develop and install third-party apps in ChatGPT to expand its capabilities

OpenAI now allows developers to submit applications for review and publication within ChatGPT. This move expands ChatGPT's functionality, enabling new capabilities such as ordering groceries, turning outlines into slide decks, or searching for apartments directly in conversation. Users can access both featured and published apps through a newly introduced app directory within ChatGPT, making it easier to discover and integrate new tools.

After connecting an app, users can trigger it by mentioning its name with an @ symbol or by selecting it from the tools' menu during chats. Developers may drive adoption using deep links that take users straight to a specific app's directory page. To further streamline the app experience, OpenAI is experimenting with ways to suggest relevant apps in ongoing conversations, factoring in context, user preferences, and past usage, as well as providing tools for user feedback.

For those building on the new platform, OpenAI offers a beta Apps SDK aimed at enabling chat-native experiences. Published development resources aim to help developers create high-quality applications aligned with user needs. The first set of approved apps is expected to roll out gradually beginning in the new year.