ChatGPT plugins become app-like surfaces with event-triggered automations
Plugins gain dedicated sidebar homes and event-driven automations, pushing ChatGPT further toward an app platform.
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At its DevDay on September 29, OpenAI announced plugin extensions: third-party apps will get a dedicated home in the ChatGPT sidebar rather than being invoked only inside a conversation.
Developers can build interactive panels and file viewers so users work with their tools while chatting with ChatGPT, approving each plugin's access needs individually. According to TechCrunch, the plugin creation and directory recommendation flows are also being streamlined.
The key new capability is automation: OpenAI said it is adding support for the proposed MCP Events specification, a standard that would let plugins start workflows based on events in a connected app. ChatGPT Sites, the lightweight websites built with ChatGPT, can host these plugins too. The announcement came as a conference presentation; the report does not state rollout scope or timing.