OpenAI launches app store inside ChatGPT

SAN FRANCISCO: OpenAI has taken a decisive step towards platform ambition, launching an in-app directory to browse tools built for ChatGPT and opening its software development kit to external developers.

The move allows developers to create interactive experiences that run directly within ChatGPT’s user interface, bringing services closer to users without sending them elsewhere. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, had hinted at the shift last month, saying the company planned to build “the obvious features” expected of a robust platform.

Alongside the directory, OpenAI has quietly rebranded its existing “connectors” as apps. Tools that once pulled files from services such as Google Drive and Dropbox are now categorised as “apps with file search”, while research connectors and synced services are renamed “apps with deep research” and “apps with sync” respectively. The change signals a broader attempt to standardise third-party integrations under a single app ecosystem.

The company said these apps may draw on user Memory, where enabled, and noted that for Free, Plus, Go and Pro users, information may be used to train models if the “improve the model for everyone” setting is switched on.

More interactive third-party apps are also expanding. Spotify’s ChatGPT app, first launched in October, is now available across the UK, Switzerland and the European Union. New additions include Apple Music, which lets users discover tracks, build playlists and manage libraries from within the chatbot, and DoorDash, which turns recipe ideas and meal planning into a shoppable basket inside the same window.

The strategy points to a larger goal: positioning ChatGPT as a gateway to digital services, much like an app store for AI. What remains unclear is how this will translate into revenue. OpenAI said it was “exploring additional monetisation options”, including digital goods, but offered no timeline or detail.

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