OpenAI has just passed a decisive milestone in the evolution of ChatGPT. The company has officially opened its App Directory, an app store integrated directly into its conversational interface. This initiative marks a strategic turning point: ChatGPT not only answers your questions, but also becomes a platform capable of centralizing your digital services and acting directly on other applications.
Key takeaways:
- OpenAI launches its App Directory accessible at chatgpt.com/apps, allowing third-party apps to be installed directly in the chat interface.
- Developers can now build their own apps via an open SDK based on the MCP (Model Context Protocol).
- First partners include Apple Music, Spotify, DoorDash, Uber Eats, Photoshop and other major services.
- The economic model remains unclear: OpenAI has not yet detailed its monetization strategy or revenue-sharing with developers.
An application ecosystem taking shape
The App Directory is much more than a simple technical update. OpenAI is repositioning ChatGPT as a super app, capable of hosting dozens of third-party services without ever leaving the chat interface. Users can now browse a catalog of apps and activate them as needed.
Concretely, you can invoke these services in two ways. Either by mentioning them directly with an "@" in your conversation (for example @apple-music or @uber-eats), or by letting ChatGPT automatically suggest the most relevant tool based on the context of your request. If you are discussing home renovation, the AI might spontaneously suggest opening the application Zillow to check listings.
Extensive integrations
The first partnerships reveal OpenAI's ambition. The integration ofApple Music allows subscribers to manage their music library, search for tracks, or generate playlists directly from the chat window. Tests show that the AI can create personalized selections by combining multiple criteria: musical style, era, key, presence of specific artists. Once created in ChatGPT, the playlist automatically appears in the Apple Music app with its title and description.
Spotify benefits from a similar integration, now extended to the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and across the European Union after a test phase in October. The progressive geographic expansion suggests a cautious deployment strategy to validate functionality before a global rollout.
For meal delivery, DoorDash and Uber Eats they transform the user experience. You can ask for a menu idea, get a detailed recipe, then instantly convert the ingredients list into a shopping cart ready to be delivered. This fluidity between intention, decision and concrete action perfectly illustrates OpenAI's vision: to make the chatbot a universal interface for all your digital needs.
A terminology overhaul to simplify the offering
OpenAI used this launch to simplify its vocabulary. The former 'connectors', which allowed services like Google Drive or Dropbox to be linked to the chatbot, are now renamed 'apps'. This harmonization aims to make the experience more intuitive by grouping all third-party services under a single banner.
Chat connectors become apps with file search, deep research connectors turn into deep research apps, and synced connectors take the name synchronized apps. Beyond the simple semantic change, this evolution reflects a desire to structure the ecosystem according to clear categories.
An SDK open to third-party developers
The other major announcement concerns the opening of the development kit. All developers can now create apps for ChatGPT and submit them to the store. This SDK, currently in beta, relies on MCP (Model Context Protocol), the protocol devised by Anthropic that has established itself as a standard in the field of generative AI, and that Google recently adopted.
For now, these applications rely exclusively on web services and JavaScript. It is not it's not yet about offering apps that run locally on your machine, unlike what Claude allows with its MCP integration. This limitation could change in the coming months depending on developer feedback.
OpenAI published a quickstart guide and code examples on GitHub to make getting started easier. Interested developers must follow strict submission rules, including a ban on adult content, following a model similar to Apple's App Store. The first applications created by third-party developers and approved by OpenAI should be launched online in early 2025.
A catalog already stocked with recognized services
Beyond Apple Music and Spotify, the App Directory already includes several notable integrations. Adobe Photoshop joins the catalog alongside Canva and Figma for graphic design. OpenTable allows you to reserve a table at a restaurant, TripAdvisor and Booking.com handle hotel reservations, Expedia handles travel, and Instacart facilitates grocery delivery.
This diversity of services already covers a wide range of everyday needs. However, some limitations exist. Tests show, for example, that Apple Music does not grant access to personal listening statistics, which prevents creating playlists based on your most-listened tracks. These restrictions depend on the permissions granted by each partner developer, who retains control over the level of data sharing with OpenAI.
The sensitive issue of privacy
Faced with concerns about data protection, Sam Altman tries to reassure. Each submitted application will be manually reviewed before publication in the directory. The company also promises that the user will retain control: each data share with a third-party service must be explicitly approved, and disconnecting an app will be immediate upon request.
However, OpenAI specifies in its documentation that for users of the Free, Plus, Go and Pro plans, some information may be used to train its AI models if the “improve the model for everyone” option remains enabled. This point raises legitimate questions about the boundary between improving the service and commercially exploiting personal data.
Applications can also use the information stored in ChatGPT’s memory when that feature is enabled. This ability to contextualize interactions based on conversational history certainly improves the relevance of suggestions, but it also heightens privacy concerns.
An economic model still shrouded in mystery
While the product strategy is becoming clear, the economic aspect remains uncertain. OpenAI has not communicated any concrete details about monetizing this application ecosystem. For now, the company does not take a direct commission the applications redirect to external sites to complete transactions for physical goods.
The sale of digital goods directly within the conversational interface is under consideration but will only arrive later. OpenAI promises to gradually improve its store, notably to allow developers to generate revenue through their apps dedicated to ChatGPT. But the precise terms, such as revenue sharing, sales commissions or enriched premium subscriptions, have not been disclosed.
This lack of clarity raises questions about the long-term viability of the model. How does OpenAI intend to finance the development and maintenance of this infrastructure without charging developers or raising subscription prices? The answer to this question will largely determine the success of this transformation.
Progressive availability across platforms
The App Directory is accessible from a web browser or the ChatGPT iOS app. However, the macOS application does not yet have access to it. This partial availability suggests a phased rollout, likely extending to all platforms in the coming weeks.
Users can now go to chatgpt.com/applications to browse the catalog and enable their favorite apps. In a conversation, simply type @appname or let the AI suggest the relevant tool based on context. This ease of use is a major asset for the adoption of these new features.
The article “OpenAI unveils its App Directory and turns ChatGPT into a universal application platform” was published on the site Abondance.
