OpenAI Now Allows Developers to Propose Apps to ChatGPT

OpenAI announced that now developers can submit apps for review and publication in ChatGPT by following the company’s app submission guidelines.

Apps extend ChatGPT conversations by bringing in new context and letting users take actions such as order groceries, turn an outline into a slide deck, or search for an apartment, according to OpenAI.

The company has published resources to help developers build high-quality apps that users will love including best practices on what makes a great ChatGPT app, open-source example apps, an open-sourced UI library for chat-native interfaces, and a step-by-step quick start guide.

OpenAI is also introducing an app directory right inside ChatGPT, where users can browse featured apps or search for any published app. The app directory is discoverable from the tools menu or directly from chatgpt.com/apps. Developers can also use deep links on other platforms to send users right to their app page in the directory.

Once users connect to apps, apps can get triggered during conversations when @ mentioned by name, or when selected from the tools menu.

According to OpenAI, the company is also experimenting with ways to surface relevant, helpful apps directly within conversations—using signals including conversational context, app usage patterns, and user preferences—and giving users clear ways to provide feedback.

Building a great ChatGPT app starts with designing for real user intent, the company said. Developers can use the Apps SDK—now in beta—to build chat-native experiences that bring context and action directly into ChatGPT.

The strongest apps are tightly scoped, intuitive in chat, and deliver clear value by either completing real-world workflows that start in conversation or enabling new, fully AI-native experiences inside ChatGPT.

Once ready, developers can submit apps for review and track approval status in the OpenAI Developer Platform. Submissions include MCP connectivity details, testing guidelines, directory metadata, and country availability settings.

The first set of approved apps will begin rolling out gradually in the new year.

In this early phase, developers can link out from their ChatGPT apps to their own websites or native apps to complete transactions for physical goods.

All developers are required to follow the app submission guidelines around safety, privacy, and transparency.

Apps must comply with OpenAI’s usage policies, be appropriate for all audiences, and adhere to third-party terms of service when accessing their content. Developers must include clear privacy policies with every app submission and OpenAI requires developers to only request the information needed to make their apps work.

When a user connects to a new app, the company will disclose what types of data may be shared with the third party and provide the app’s privacy policy for review. And users are always in control: disconnect an app at any time, and it immediately loses access.

For more information about this news, visit https://openai.com.