OpenAI has unveiled major updates to ChatGPT that significantly expand its capabilities: the introduction of Apps in ChatGPT and a new developer toolkit called AgentKit.
The new Apps feature allows users to interact directly with third-party services like Spotify, Zillow, Canva, and Expedia within ChatGPT conversations. Users can call apps by name or get automatic app suggestions relevant to the discussion, enabling tasks such as booking travel, creating playlists, or browsing property listings without leaving the chat. The Apps SDK, built on an open standard called Model Context Protocol (MCP), lets developers create these interactive apps that blend natural language with rich, in-chat interfaces.
Alongside apps, OpenAI introduced AgentKit, a comprehensive platform that simplifies building, deploying, and optimizing AI agents. AgentKit provides tools like Agent Builder for visual workflow design, Connector Registry to manage integrations, and ChatKit to embed chat-based agents in products. It also adds safety and evaluation features—Guardrails to prevent unsafe behavior, new metrics and grading tools for automated performance assessments, and reinforcement fine-tuning to customize agent reasoning over time.
These innovations unify agent development efforts, reducing previous complexities and speeding up creation and deployment of reliable AI assistants. Currently, Apps in ChatGPT are available globally on Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans (excluding the EU), with AgentKit’s components gradually rolling out through beta and general availability.
OpenAI plans further expansions later this year, including app submission and discovery portals, a standalone Workflows API, enhanced monetization through in-chat commerce, and broader platform support.
This latest development positions ChatGPT not just as a conversational AI but as a versatile AI-powered operating system integrating apps and autonomous agents for diverse tasks.