App developers looking to launch their programs in ChatGPT can now submit them for review and potential publication, OpenAI said Wednesday. The company also introduced a new app directory within Chat’s tools menu that has swiftly been dubbed an “app store.”
In October, the company announced the arrival of apps in its chatbot, explaining that the move would bring a broader suite of capabilities to ChatGPT users. Major platforms — including Expedia, Spotify, Zillow, and Canva — announced integrations that would allow users to access their services directly from Chat conversations. Now, the company is opening up the field to a broader array of players.
“Apps extend ChatGPT conversations by bringing in new context and letting users take actions like order groceries, turn an outline into a slide deck, or search for an apartment,” the company said Wednesday.
OpenAI’s Apps SDK, which is still in beta, currently provides a toolkit for developers looking to create new experiences for ChatGPT users. Once developers are ready, they can submit their apps to the company’s OpenAI Developer platform, where they will be able to track its approval status, the company said. A number of approved apps will start launching within Chat in the coming year, it added.
This is a big step for OpenAI toward expanding the app ecosystem within Chat and, at the same time, giving users more reasons to use the app and stay on it.
