October 8, 2025
Krishna Yadav
OpenAI Apps SDK: What ChatGPT’s New Developer Platform Means for AI Search Visibility
Last updated October 2025
OpenAI launched the Apps SDK on 6 October 2025, giving developers the tools to build conversational apps directly inside ChatGPT.
This isn’t just another developer release, it’s a new distribution channel that reaches over 800 million users, driven by context instead of keywords. For CMOs, developers, and business owners, the Apps SDK changes how brands get discovered: not by ranking on page one, but by appearing naturally in conversations the moment users need you.
TL;DR
The Apps SDK lets developers build apps that live inside ChatGPT, discoverable through natural language or contextual suggestions.
ChatGPT apps blend interactive elements (maps, playlists, presentations) with conversational interfaces.
Pilot partners launched on 6 Oct 2025 include Booking.com, Canva, Coursera, Figma, Expedia, Spotify, and Zillow.
The SDK builds on Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard for connecting AI models to external tools.
Developers can build, test in Developer Mode, and submit apps for review later in 2025.
GEO implication: Conversational visibility now complements traditional SEO - brands need Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) strategies and LLM Seeding alongside keyword rankings.
What the Apps SDK actually is (and why it feels different)
The OpenAI Apps SDK is a toolkit that allows developers to create interactive, conversational apps users can engage with directly inside ChatGPT.
Unlike older ChatGPT plugins that only extended functionality, these apps combine backend logic with custom interfaces, so someone can browse Zillow listings on an embedded map or turn a ChatGPT outline into Canva slides without ever leaving the chat.
Under the hood, the SDK extends the Model Context Protocol (MCP) - an open standard connecting AI models to external data and tools. Because it’s open source, apps built with the SDK could theoretically run anywhere MCP is supported.
Developers define both the conversation logic and interface, integrate authentication so users can log in, and connect their backend systems directly. This approach replaces the old “AI as intermediary” model with one where ChatGPT itself hosts the app experience.
How ChatGPT apps appear during conversations 💬
Apps can be triggered in two ways:
By name — “Spotify, make me a playlist for my Friday party.”
Contextually — ChatGPT suggests them automatically when relevant.
If you’re talking about buying a home, ChatGPT might surface the Zillow app with local listings on a live map. On first use, it asks permission to connect and shows what data will be shared.
The experience merges conversation + interaction. You might create a Canva deck from notes, or take a Coursera course while asking ChatGPT follow-up questions.
There’s no SERP, no list of links. ChatGPT curates and delivers exactly what fits the context.
Apps available now (and what’s coming next)
These are the pilot partners OpenAI launched with on 6 October 2025. These apps are available to all logged-in users on Free, Plus, and Pro plans (outside the EU for now).
Pilot Partners
App | Use Case | Availability |
|---|---|---|
Booking.com | Hotel search with parking, amenities filters | Markets where Booking.com operates |
Canva | Transform outlines into slide decks | Global (English first) |
Coursera | Take courses; ask ChatGPT to explain concepts | Global (English first) |
Travel planning, booking flights and hotels | Markets where Expedia operates | |
Figma | Design collaboration and prototyping | Global (English first) |
Spotify | Create playlists, discover music | Markets where Spotify operates |
Zillow | Browse real estate listings on interactive maps | United States |
“The Zillow app in ChatGPT shows the power of AI to make real estate feel more human — a conversational guide that makes finding a home faster, easier, and more intuitive.”
— Josh Weisberg, Head of AI at Zillow
The plan is to add more partners soon, including AllTrails, Peloton, OpenTable, Target, theFork, and Uber. Also Business, Enterprise, and Education plans will gain access later this year, along with a public App Directory for browsing by category.
Building with the Apps SDK: how the Developer Workflow works
The SDK entered preview on 6 Oct 2025, with documentation, examples, and design guidelines available on OpenAI’s developer portal.
Here’s the flow developers follow:
Review the documentation — explore the open-source examples and best practices.
Define logic + interface — decide how your app responds and what it looks like.
Connect your backend — integrate login/auth and your own data sources.
Test in Developer Mode — debug and preview inside ChatGPT.
Submit for review — submission opens later in 2025.
Apps must meet OpenAI’s usage, privacy, and design standards. High-quality apps may even be featured in search and conversation suggestions.
Monetization support is also on the roadmap, including Agentic Commerce Protocol, enabling instant checkout within ChatGPT. 🛍️
Why this changes how AI search visibility works
When ChatGPT suggests an app, it’s performing a form of ranking by context, not by keywords.
That’s a big shift for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
Previously, AEO focused on structuring content for LLMs to cite. Now, success depends on being suggested when your use case becomes relevant in conversation.
For example:
Traditional SEO → a user searches “best project management tools” and clicks a link.
Conversational discovery → a user discusses project planning, and ChatGPT automatically suggests Asana’s app.
That’s the new visibility model: context-driven discovery instead of query-driven search.
SEO vs Conversational App Visibility
Dimension | Traditional SEO | Conversational App Visibility (GEO) |
|---|---|---|
Primary driver | Keyword intent | Conversational context |
Optimisation surface | Pages, backlinks, metadata | App quality, engagement, context relevance |
User decision path | Multiple SERP options | AI suggests one or two relevant apps |
Key metric | Click-through rate | App acceptance rate & engagement |
Signal of authority | Links & domain strength | Usage patterns & structured metadata |
Designing for conversational discoverability
If ChatGPT decides when to surface your app, visibility depends on how clearly the AI understands your product’s purpose and the situations it helps with.
Here’s how to prepare:
Structured product data: define contexts, use cases, and audiences clearly in metadata.
Track mentions: use GEO tools (like Scriptbee’s analytics) to see when your brand is cited or suggested.
Design chat-native UX: make the experience conversational; not just an iframe of your web app.
Signal relevance: use naming, descriptions, and intents that make it obvious when your app should appear.
Traditional SEO remains vital but conversational visibility is now a parallel channel worth optimizing for. AI Search Tools like Scriptbee can help with that. 🐝
Privacy and safety by design
Every app must follow OpenAI’s usage policies, include a transparent privacy policy, and collect only what’s needed for functionality.
When users connect an app, ChatGPT shows them what data will be shared. Apparently OpenAI will also add fine-grained permission controls for data categories.
For developers, this means building with privacy-first principles and being ready for review scrutiny before listing.
What businesses should do right now
Audit your conversational visibility: see how often your brand appears or gets suggested in AI systems - for example by using an AI Search Platform.
Map your product to conversational contexts: identify when your service would naturally appear in chat (e.g., “plan a trip,” “design a slide deck”).
Decide whether to build: does your product benefit from conversational use? If yes, start experimenting.
Prepare for AI-native discovery: structure your web content for AI extraction: clear headings, schema markup, short answers.
Monitor competitors: as new apps roll out, track launches and user engagement.
Quick insights woven into the narrative
So what exactly does the Apps SDK include? It’s a toolkit for building conversational apps within ChatGPT—extending the MCP standard so developers can control both logic and interface.
How are these apps different from plugins? They’re native experiences, not extensions, custom UIs, contextual triggers, and interaction inside the chat itself.
When can developers publish? Later this year after OpenAI’s review pipeline opens. For now, testing happens through Developer Mode.
And how does this impact SEO? Simple: keyword optimization gets you search visibility; GEO gets you conversation visibility.
MCP vs Apps SDK? MCP is the open protocol for connecting tools to LLMs; the Apps SDK layers UI and conversation design on top.
Measuring performance? Use GEO analytics (like Scriptbee) to see how often your brand is suggested or cited in ChatGPT and other answer engines.
Final thoughts: Visibility beyond the SERP
The OpenAI Apps SDK marks a turning point. For the first time, hundreds of millions of ChatGPT users can access your product without leaving the chat.
No SERP. No clicks. No search query. Just pure context.
This is the era of AI-native discovery, where intent replaces keywords and suggestions replace search results.
For marketers and builders, the playbook is clear:
Traditional SEO gets you found.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) gets you suggested.
The brands that win will optimize for both, ranking in Google and appearing in ChatGPT conversations exactly when users need them.
If you’re ready to see how your brand performs across AI systems, start with Scriptbee’s GEO analytics to track citations and conversational visibility. 🐝
