OpenAI used its DevDay on Sep 29 2026 to roll out a new way for plug‑ins to look and work inside ChatGPT. Developers can now create app‑like experiences that sit in a dedicated sidebar. The panels can show files, let users interact with the linked tool, and even run automations when certain events happen in the connected app.
What’s new for developers?
The company released a Plugin Creator tool that simplifies building and submitting plug‑ins to the directory. The submission flow has clearer feedback, and the plug‑in directory now ranks and recommends entries more transparently. Users can approve each plug‑in’s access needs individually, giving them tighter control over data sharing.
ChatGPT Sites – lightweight pages you can build with ChatGPT – can also host these plug‑ins, so a team can share a custom app with colleagues and keep their own data permissions.
Why it matters to everyday users
If you use ChatGPT for work, you’ll soon see a sidebar filled with tools that behave like mini‑apps, letting you edit a document, view a spreadsheet, or trigger a workflow without leaving the chat. The new event‑driven automation means tasks such as “when a new row appears in Airtable, send a summary to Slack” can happen automatically, reducing manual steps.
Why it matters
For regular users, the changes turn ChatGPT into a hub where common work tools appear as mini‑apps, cutting the need to switch between separate programs. Automated triggers can handle repetitive steps, saving time and reducing errors.
