Spin the Wheel

ChatGPT Apps Integration

OpenAI's announcement at DevDay 2025 that users can now chat with apps directly within ChatGPT represents a fundamental shift in how AI assistants interact with third-party services. Starting in October 2025, users can summon apps like Spotify, Figma, Coursera, Expedia, and Zillow without ever leaving the ChatGPT interface. This integration transforms ChatGPT from a simple chatbot into a dynamic platform that can orchestrate complex, multi-step tasks across multiple services. The technical implementation uses something called the Model Context Protocol (MCP), which embeds app functionality directly into the chat experience. Unlike OpenAI's previous GPT Store, which lived separately from the main interface, these new apps appear directly within conversations, making them more visible and accessible. Users can type prompts like "Figma, turn this sketch into a diagram" or "Coursera, teach me machine learning," and the requested app appears within the chat, ready to work. The live demonstration was particularly impressive. A user asked ChatGPT to find apartments on Zillow, and the system pulled up an interactive map inside the chat interface. This seamless integration demonstrates how AI can become a central hub that connects users to multiple services without requiring them to switch between different apps or websites. The strategic vision is ambitious. CEO Sam Altman described the move as a way to make ChatGPT "a great way for people to make progress," whether that means planning a trip, learning Python, or designing a logo. The idea is to turn ChatGPT into a productivity platform that can handle a variety of tasks, from the mundane to the complex, all within a single conversational interface. Future integrations are already planned with Uber, DoorDash, Instacart, and AllTrails, suggesting that ChatGPT could soon become a comprehensive platform for everything from ordering dinner to planning hikes to calling rides. This vision positions ChatGPT as a central operating system for digital life, similar to how web browsers became the primary interface for online activities. However, the integration raises important questions about privacy and data sharing. OpenAI claims that developers can only collect "the minimum data they need," but it's unclear what that really means. Will apps see the entire conversation context, or just the specific prompt that triggered them? This distinction matters significantly for user privacy and could determine whether users are comfortable using the feature. The platform also faces challenges around competition and app placement. When multiple apps want to serve the same user need—like DoorDash and Instacart both wanting to deliver food—who gets priority? Altman says user experience comes first, but the details of how this is managed aren't fully clear. There are also questions about whether companies will pay for better placement, which could create an uneven playing field. The integration represents a significant business opportunity for OpenAI. By becoming a platform that hosts third-party apps, ChatGPT could capture a portion of the value created by every transaction that happens through it. When users book travel through Expedia or order food through DoorDash within ChatGPT, OpenAI could potentially take a cut, creating a new revenue stream beyond subscriptions. For developers, the integration offers access to ChatGPT's massive user base—800 million weekly active users. This represents an enormous opportunity to reach users, but it also creates dependency on OpenAI's platform. Developers will need to balance the benefits of access to ChatGPT's audience with the risks of being dependent on a single platform. The technical challenges are significant. Integrating multiple apps into a single chat interface requires robust APIs, reliable performance, and seamless user experience. Apps need to work together smoothly, handle errors gracefully, and provide consistent experiences even when they're from different developers with different capabilities. Looking forward, the success of ChatGPT's app integration will depend on several factors. First, developers need to be willing to build apps for the platform, which requires clear APIs and compelling value propositions. Second, users need to find the integrated experience more convenient than using separate apps. Third, the platform needs to maintain quality and reliability as it scales to include more apps and handle more complex interactions. The integration also highlights broader trends in the AI industry. As AI assistants become more capable, they're evolving from simple question-answering tools into platforms that can orchestrate complex workflows across multiple services. This represents a fundamental shift in how people interact with digital technology, moving from managing multiple apps to describing what they want and letting AI figure out how to make it happen. In conclusion, ChatGPT's app integration represents a significant step toward making AI assistants into comprehensive platforms for digital life. By enabling users to interact with multiple services through a single conversational interface, OpenAI is positioning ChatGPT as a central hub for productivity, entertainment, and daily tasks. However, the success of this vision will depend on addressing privacy concerns, managing competition between apps, and delivering a user experience that's genuinely better than using separate applications.