OpenAI has launched an app directory that is currently accessible directly within ChatGPT. “Apps extend ChatGPT conversations by bringing in new context and letting users take action like order groceries, turn an outline into a slide deck or search for a flat,” the business stated on its website. Google Drive and other “connector” apps are now just referred to as “apps,” according to a help guide from OpenAI.
You may connect to popular apps and websites like Booking.com, Spotify, and Dropbox through the Feature, Lifestyle, and Productivity sections of the new apps area (on iOS, Android, and the web). To access the app, just click on it, select “Connect,” and then give it permission to use ChatGPT.
After completing that, you can begin a chat about that particular app. Dropbox, for example, allows you to “gather insights, prepare briefs and summarise reports or internal documents,” as stated in the description. Any app can be accessed by executing a @ mention of it once it is connected.
An app called Apple Music, which functions similarly to Spotify in terms of music discovery, playlist creation, and library management via a chat interface, is a recent addition to the shop. DoorDash is another that allows you to turn meal planning, recipes, and necessities into “an actionable shopping cart.”
Developers can now submit apps for evaluation and publishing in ChatGPT in accordance with OpenAI’s app submission standards, in addition to the app directory. Additionally, it released tools to assist developers in creating these kinds of applications, such as best practices, open-source sample apps, an open-sourced UI toolkit for chat-native interfaces, and a detailed quickstart guide. This is in addition to the software developer kit (SDK) that OpenAI released in October. Third-party developers can also now submit their own apps to OpenAI for publication following a screening procedure.
Although OpenAI is looking on internal monetisation options, developers can now only monetise apps by linking out from the ChatGPT app to the native app or website. The need of privacy was again highlighted, and businesses were obliged to offer “clear” rules.
Sam Altman has promised to add bespoke “GPT” bots to ChatGPT to increase its versatility, and this new functionality is a major part of that commitment. “Over time, we want apps in ChatGPT to feel like a natural extension of the conversation, helping people move from ideas to action, while building a thriving ecosystem for developers,” the organisation added.