OpenAI will enable developers to embed their applications into ChatGPT using a new software toolkit called the Apps SDK.

Executives revealed the first seven apps that integrate with the chatbot service at OpenAI’s DevDay event today. In addition, the artificial intelligence provider detailed an embedded version of its Codex programming agent. Developers can use the agent to build their own coding assistants.

The initial roster of embedded ChatGPT apps comprises Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, Spotify and Zillow. Users can launch them in two ways. They can include the name of an app in a prompt or enter a request that doesn’t mention a specific app, but describes a task ChatGPT could perform using a third-party service.

The user experience varies by app. If a worker asks ChatGPT to turn a sketch into a diagram using Figma, the chatbot will simply display the requested diagram with a link for launching it in Figma. In contrast, requesting Booking.com hotel listings brings up a carousel that displays more than a half-dozen data points about each relevant property.

Embedded apps can not only perform one-off tasks but also process follow-up prompts. For example, a user could instruct ChatGPT to launch a Coursera course and then ask it to explain concepts introduced during the lecture.

Developers can build embedded apps using a toolkit called the Apps SDK that launched today. OpenAI will start accepting app submissions later this year. In the same time frame, the AI provider plans to add apps from nearly a dozen major partners including publicly-traded tech firms such as Uber Technologies Inc.

“The Apps SDK builds on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), the open standard that lets ChatGPT connect to external tools and data,” OpenAI staffers detailed in a blog post today. “It extends MCP so developers can design both the logic and interface of their apps.”

The other highlight of DevDay was the launch of OpenAI’s Codex coding assistant into general availability. The AI provider rolled out three new features on occasion of the update.

OpenAI has added a development toolkit, Codex SDK, that companies can use to embed Codex features into their software. Building an integration requires a few lines of code. On launch, the Codex SDK can be implemented using an enhanced version of JavaScript called TypeScript.

The ability to integrate Codex into external applications is rolling out alongside two pre-packaged connectors developed by OpenAI. The first enables users to launch the coding assistant from Slack. The other connector, which works with GitHub’s GitHub Actions service, makes it possible to integrate Codex into CI/CD pipelines. Those are automation workflows that reduce the amount of work involved in releasing newly created code to production.

Rounding out the enhancements is a set of administrative features. According to OpenAI, information technology teams can now require that developers’ Codex installations use secure configuration settings. Additionally, administrators can review Codex output and delete cloud-based software environments created by the AI agent.

OpenAI staffers added in a blog post that “new analytics dashboards also help admins track usage across the CLI, IDE, and web, and the quality of code reviews provided by Codex.”

Image: OpenAI