OpenAI launches Plugin Extensions and Marketplace, directly challenging the app store model
OpenAI launched Plugin Extensions (sidebar custom experiences) and OpenAI Marketplace (32 partners) at DevDay. Enterprise customers can apply part of their OpenAI spend toward approved partner software, directly challenging mobile app store distribution.
OpenAI launched Plugin Extensions and OpenAI Marketplace simultaneously at DevDay on September 29, directly challenging mobile app store distribution models. Plugin Extensions let developers create custom experiences in the ChatGPT sidebar, including interactive panels and file viewers. OpenAI simultaneously improved plugin creation, submission, and discovery workflows, with a Plugin Creator assistant, redesigned submission flow, and improved ranking and recommendations, available to all plan users.
OpenAI Marketplace launched with 32 initial partners covering key scenarios in creative design (Figma), customer experience (Adobe, Sierra, Decagon, Hubspot, Salesforce, ServiceNow), legal (Harvey, Legora), cybersecurity (Palo Alto Networks, CrowdStrike), and open source models (Baseten). Eligible enterprise customers can apply part of their existing OpenAI spend toward approved partner software in the Marketplace, creating an internal "AI application spend" loop.
Sites can now host plugins, with team members able to share data access permissions (Business, Enterprise, Healthcare, and Edu plans). MCP Events for Plugin Automations allows plugins to launch automations on event triggers in connected apps, such as ChatGPT monitoring project boards for new tasks and automatically reading documentation and drafting plans.