OpenAI launches Apps SDK (preview) — build interactive apps inside ChatGPT

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Key update

OpenAI announced an Apps SDK (preview) at DevDay 2025 that enables developers to build interactive apps that run inside ChatGPT: apps can present embedded UI cards, call back to your backend, request permissions, and be invoked by name or smart suggestions. The SDK extends the open Model Context Protocol (MCP) so app logic and connectors are portable, and the preview lets any developer build and test apps in Developer Mode today while public submissions, an app directory, and monetization options are planned later this year. (help.openai.com)

Why it matters

This is a platform-level distribution and UX change for producers of web and backend services. Instead of just integrating via an API or embedding widgets, you can ship conversational-first experiences that live inside a widely used chat runtime — which changes where discovery, onboarding, and first‑run UX happen, and shifts some UI surface from your site into ChatGPT’s embedded cards. Practically, teams should evaluate authentication and least‑privilege scopes (OAuth/permission flows), data‑minimization and privacy policies for chat‑mediated access, and backend idempotency/observability for agent‑driven actions. Expect work on connector tooling (rate limits, webhooks, retries), and plan for governance (safety checks, audits, and log traces) because apps will run with model context and can trigger actions on users’ behalf. The SDK and MCP preview are the most important immediate items to read and test; they determine how reusable your connectors and UI will be across ChatGPT and any other MCP adopters. (help.openai.com)

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