ChatGPT Opens App Store to Developers

OpenAI is now letting developers submit their apps for review and publication in ChatGPT, turning the chatbot into a platform for real-world tasks. Starting today, you can build apps that let users order groceries, create slide decks, or search for apartments—all within a chat. The company released resources like best practices, open-source examples, and a UI library to help devs craft quality apps. There’s also a new app directory inside ChatGPT where users can browse and search for apps, and developers can use deep links to send users directly to their app page. Apps can be triggered by @mentioning them or selecting them from the tools menu, and OpenAI is experimenting with surfacing relevant apps based on context. For now, developers can link out to their own sites for physical goods transactions, with digital goods monetization still on the horizon. Why it matters: This is OpenAI’s strategic move to transform ChatGPT from a conversational tool into a full-fledged app ecosystem, potentially rivaling traditional app stores by embedding functionality directly into the chat experience.