OpenAI Introduced Apps

OpenAI has announced a landmark strategic shift, introducing third-party applications directly within ChatGPT's conversational interface. This move positions the platform, with its 800 million weekly users, as a new AI-powered operating system in a direct challenge to Apple and Google's app store dominance. The new ecosystem is powered by an Apps SDK built on open standards like the Model Context Protocol (MCP) for data access and the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) for enabling in-chat purchases. This "open protocol, closed platform" strategy aims to encourage broad developer adoption while funneling discovery and monetization through a future, centralized App Directory.

While this hardware-agnostic approach is a significant evolution from the previous GPT Store, it is fraught with risk. Developers face uncertainty regarding monetization and platform lock-in. For users, the convenience comes with significant privacy trade-offs, as OpenAI collects and retains conversation data for model training and review. Furthermore, by creating a proprietary app directory where it acts as the sole gatekeeper, OpenAI is inviting the same antitrust scrutiny that has plagued Big Tech, with legal challenges already underway. Ultimately, while OpenAI's move is a bold attempt to define the next computing paradigm, its success hinges on resolving these profound governance, safety, and privacy challenges.