OpenAI has announced a major update to ChatGPT, allowing the AI assistant to connect with popular apps like Spotify, Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, and Zillow through a new Apps SDK. The feature was revealed by CEO Sam Altman at the company’s annual Developer Day in San Francisco, marking a big step toward making ChatGPT a more interactive and task-oriented digital assistant.
With the new integration, users can directly perform actions inside ChatGPT instead of switching apps. For example, they can ask Spotify to create a party playlist, search for hotel bookings on Booking.com, or browse real estate listings from Zillow within the chat. The interactive experience turns conversations into real-world actions, making the AI model more practical for everyday use.
Altman said OpenAI waited until its models were strong enough before launching this kind of capability. President Greg Brockman added that the same breakthroughs driving OpenAI’s achievements in problem-solving are now being applied to enterprise tools, which could benefit business users worldwide.
The rollout is starting in select markets, with more partners like Uber, AllTrails, and DoorDash expected to join later this year. However, the feature is not yet available in Europe, where stricter regulations around AI and data privacy are still under review.
The update comes at a time when OpenAI is expanding aggressively. The company recently launched its viral video-generation app Sora, announced plans to build over $1 trillion in computing capacity, and strengthened partnerships with major tech players like Microsoft. Despite this rapid growth, Altman admitted that OpenAI is still not profitable, though he stressed that profitability is not the immediate priority.
Industry experts say the new app integrations could push ChatGPT beyond being a conversational tool, making it a central hub for music, travel, design, and even real estate searches. While Altman acknowledged that AI investment is “kind of bubbly” in some areas, he emphasized that real value will emerge as the technology continues to evolve.
