The AI-Augmented Engineer

The AI-Augmented Engineer

OpenAI's launched an agent builder, ChatGPT apps, and more (!)

Apps SDK, Agent Builder, and much more

Oct 07, 2025
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OpenAI held its annual Developer Day this week, and the announcements signaled the next phase of OpenAI as a platform company. More than four million developers now build on OpenAI’s API, and over eight hundred million people use ChatGPT weekly.

ChatGPT conversation showing a Canva integration. The user uploads a document titled ‘Deck Outline.doc’ and asks, ‘Canva, can you turn this outline into a deck?’ Canva responds with two presentation drafts titled ‘Realty First 2025,’ one in green and beige and another in blue and white, along with a message offering to refine the design or create versions for different audiences.

The headline: apps are coming to ChatGPT.

Today, we’ll cover a few big things:

  • The new ChatGPT app ecosystem

  • How ChatGPT apps work

  • The release of Agent builder (!!!)

  • New Codex updates

  • The Sora release

The ChatGPT app ecosystem

For the first time, developers can build applications that live directly inside ChatGPT. These are conversational apps that feel native to the chat experience. OpenAI calls this “a new generation of apps you can chat with,” and they’re powered by a new Apps SDK, available today in preview.

Mobile screen showing a ChatGPT conversation with a Spotify integration. The user asks, ‘Give me the latest songs from my favorite artists that I haven’t played yet.’ Spotify responds with a personalized playlist titled ‘Fresh Cuts from Your Favorite Artists,’ followed by a list of songs including ‘Radio’ by Decora, ‘Tão Bem’ by Tori, and ‘Friendzone’ by EDEN KAI.

When you’re chatting with ChatGPT, you can either call an app by name (“Spotify, make a playlist for my party this Friday”) or let ChatGPT suggest one when it’s contextually relevant. Talk about buying a new home, and the Zillow app can appear automatically with an interactive map of listings you can browse without ever leaving the chat.

Mobile screen showing a ChatGPT conversation with a Zillow integration. The user asks, ‘Show me homes for sale in Kansas City.’ Zillow responds with a map of the Union Hill area displaying property price markers and a featured listing for a $560,000 home at 3024 Grand Ave with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and 2,636 square feet.

These apps combine familiar UI elements like maps, slides, and playlists with natural language interaction, making it feel like the web’s functionality has been folded into conversation itself.

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Apps are already available for all logged-in ChatGPT users (outside the EU for now) across Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans. Pilot partners include Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Expedia, Figma, Spotify, and Zillow. Eleven more are expected later this year, and OpenAI says EU users will get access soon.

This is awesome. I’ve long held the opinion that OpenAI is a product company rather than a model company, and I think this really solidifies that. My favorite app so far is Canva, and I can’t wait to see what else integrates.

How do apps work?

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