On October 6th, at OpenAI’s Dev Day, OpenAI announced Apps inside ChatGPT. This represents a fundamental shift in how we think about software distribution and user interaction.

What Are ChatGPT Apps?

ChatGPT Apps are interactive experiences embedded directly in ChatGPT, accessible to 800 million users. Think of them as the next evolution of plugins and connectors, but with full UI capabilities including:

  • Images and maps
  • Interactive buttons
  • Checkout flows
  • Real-time data integration

Before you even enable any Apps, ChatGPT will proactively suggest them to you if they’re relevant to your use case. This opens up massive opportunities for app discovery and user acquisition.

The Technology Behind It

While this might seem revolutionary, it’s actually an incremental step building on existing technology: MCP (Model Context Protocol) servers.

MCP servers have been available for months in ChatGPT, Claude, and other tools under the “Connectors” branding. Apps take Connectors a step further by adding a user interface to those tools.

Now, instead of just data and plain text, third-party apps can display images, maps, and even checkout buttons directly inside ChatGPT. The technology isn’t new, but the framing is: this looks less like a data plug-in and more like a powerful new distribution surface.

Why This Matters

Here’s what Ben Thompson, author of Stratechery, had to say about the launch in his post “OpenAI’s Windows Play”:

“This is a push to make ChatGPT the operating system of the future.

Apps won’t be on your phone or in a browser; they’ll be in ChatGPT, and if they aren’t, they simply will not exist for ChatGPT users…

This is the power that comes from owning users, and OpenAI is flexing that power in a major way.”

In other words, the best-case outcome for Apps-in-AI could rival early Windows, the web, or mobile apps: AI chatbots could become the new operating systems that apps are built on—with all the opportunity that entails.

Sizing the Opportunity

OpenAI has 800 million active users, with a retention graph that curves upward: users use ChatGPT more over time, not less.

By comparison, Apple’s App Store launched in 2008 with 813 million weekly active users today, and drives $1.3 trillion of annual sales.

OpenAI plans to launch its own App Store later this year, giving developers a place to list ChatGPT Apps. If this really is the new operating system, that’s a trillion-dollar opportunity.

Launch Partners

ChatGPT has an impressive list of prominent launch partners already committed:

Available now:

  • Booking.com
  • Canva
  • Coursera
  • Expedia
  • Figma
  • Spotify
  • Zillow
  • Instacart
  • Peloton

Coming soon:

  • AllTrails
  • DoorDash
  • Khan Academy
  • OpenTable
  • Target
  • TripAdvisor
  • Thumbtack
  • Uber

Many of them already have apps that are live in ChatGPT today for U.S.-based users.

What You Need to Believe

For this to be a big deal, you have to believe a few things:

  1. Apps-in-Chat will beat AI-over-browser: Both connect AI to real-world data, but only one will be the dominant design. The web isn’t built for agents, and AI browsers have higher security and latency issues.

  2. Consumers will actually use ChatGPT Apps: Some app stores never take off (see Alexa Skills or Custom GPTs). But if consumers engage at scale, others like Claude or Gemini will quickly follow.

  3. Companies will commit to this new surface: Marketplaces and SEO-driven platforms are early adopters. If user adoption grows, no company can afford to ignore where consumers engage.

The Opportunity

If you believe this will be the dominant format, this is an enormous opportunity. Companies already spend heavily on “GEO” (Generative Engine Optimization) to influence AI Search. But GEO is a black box.

The better route may be building the right tools for the task and optimizing your App so ChatGPT suggests it.

For companies, that creates both risk and opportunity:

  • If you’re not represented in the new AI App ecosystem, you’ll be invisible
  • But if you are, and you can optimize your app for discovery, the top-of-funnel potential is massive

Ready to Get Started?

At Bullseye, we’re helping teams navigate this new landscape with:

  • Metadata optimization for maximum discoverability
  • Analytics to track app performance and user engagement
  • Testing strategies to improve conversion
  • Ad readiness for when the App Store launches

The ChatGPT App Store is launching later this year. Don’t get left behind.

Contact us to learn how we can help optimize your ChatGPT App for success.