ChatGPT recently introduced ChatGPT Apps—powered by a new SDK—with early collaborators including Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Expedia, Figma, Spotify, and Zillow. These apps are deeply integrated: you simply mention the app’s name in conversation (for example, “Spotify, play some jazz”), and ChatGPT invokes it in that context rather than through an app icon. OpenAI is preparing to open app submissions, launch a browsable directory, and roll out monetization options—starting with Business, Enterprise, and Edu users, followed by broader public access.
If you’re a founder, developer, or ambitious creator, here’s why this moment might be your golden ticket.
1. Learning from WeChat Mini-Apps: Light, Consistent, and Powerful
- WeChat Mini Programs created a precedent: small apps that run inside WeChat, no separate installation required. Users can access them instantly, reducing friction significantly.
- This model enabled massive adoption since launch. In ChatGPT, apps similarly get invoked by name in a conversation, bypassing the classic app discovery or download hurdle.
- For developers, this means you can build with speed, get feedback quickly, and iterate—without expecting users to make big commitments just to try your app.
2. A Search Engine Reimagined: From Reactive to Proactive Knowledge Models
- Traditional search pushes users to search queries; large language models scrape, summarize, or infer from the open web—but may get facts wrong or out of date.
- ChatGPT Apps enable businesses and creators to proactively provide structured content and services—such as real estate listings, courses, or design tools—within the platform itself.
- This approach lowers the cost to the platform and improves content reliability and richness, which benefits both users and providers.
3. New Monetization Channels for Companies & Developers
- OpenAI intends to enable commerce functionality in ChatGPT Apps later this year, letting apps offer in-chat purchases, subscriptions, or credits.
- With hundreds of millions of users engaging with ChatGPT weekly, this is a ready-made audience many businesses only dream of.
- Models like freemium tiers, enterprise usage, in-app purchases, and affiliate systems are all plausible paths to revenue.
4. This Is Bigger Than Just ChatGPT—it’s a Template for the Future of Interaction
- Platforms like Google or Amazon may well follow in similar footsteps—recommending small apps or tools alongside search results, integrating actionable services rather than just links.
- The advantage goes to services built to be “plug-in”—easy to invoke, connectable, and service-focused—rather than those that exist as standalone islands.
Getting Ready: Action-Plan for Aspiring App Builders
- Define a laser-sharp purpose: Solve a specific problem in a specific domain—travel, learning, health, productivity.
- Respect design and UX guidelines: OpenAI’s requirements emphasize apps that are safe, reliable, purpose-clear, and performant.
- Build for scale: Prioritize fast response times, dependable infrastructure, and robust error handling—these matter during review and for user retention.
- Choose a monetization model now: Plan ahead whether you’ll use freemium, subscription, usage-based billing, in-app purchases, or enterprise licensing.
- Promote early adopter feedback: Test with real users or communities, gather testimonials, refine your app before submitting so you hit the quality benchmarks and improve chances of being featured.
Conclusion
ChatGPT Apps aren’t just a new feature—they may mark a paradigm shift in how services are delivered, discovered, and monetized. If you’ve been waiting, this is your moment. The key ingredients are aligning:
- A platform with massive built-in reach
- A frictionless model inspired by successful precedents like WeChat mini-programs
- A framework that rewards quality, reliability, and niche focus
- An imminent opening for monetization and discovery
Not every app will be a breakout hit—but for those who build something genuinely useful, fast, and aligned with what users want, this could very well be the path to building your next million-dollar business.
