OpenAI unveiled a major expansion of ChatGPT’s capabilities by introducing embedded third-party applications. Starting October 6, 2025, users can interact with apps like Booking.com, Expedia, Spotify, Figma, Coursera, Zillow, and Canva directly within ChatGPT conversations.
This marks a shift from the previous GPT Store model, which hosted standalone apps. Now, apps are natively integrated into ChatGPT’s responses, allowing users to invoke them with natural language prompts and receive interactive outputs.
How It Works
- App Invocation: Users can summon apps by name. For example, “Figma, turn this sketch into a workable diagram” or “Coursera, teach me about machine learning.”
- Contextual Suggestions: ChatGPT will automatically surface relevant apps based on user intent. Asking for a party playlist may trigger Spotify; searching for apartments may invoke Zillow.
- Interactive UI: Apps can render dynamic interfaces, including maps, diagrams, and even video content pinned to the chat window.
- Account Integration: Subscribed users can log into their accounts within ChatGPT to access personalized features.
- Upcoming Apps: Future integrations include DoorDash, Instacart, Uber, and AllTrails.
Developer Tools
OpenAI also launched a preview of the Apps SDK, built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP). This allows developers to:
- Connect external data sources to ChatGPT
- Trigger actions based on user input
- Render custom UI elements inside the chat
Monetization options are in development, including Instant Checkout, which will let users pay for services directly within ChatGPT.
Privacy and Data Use
OpenAI emphasized that developers must collect only minimal data and be transparent about permissions. However, questions remain about how much of the user’s conversation history is accessible to third-party apps and how competing services will be prioritized.
CEO Sam Altman described the initiative as a way to make ChatGPT “a great way for people to make progress, to be more productive, more inventive, to learn faster, to do whatever they’re trying to do in their lives better.”
