OpenAI expands ChatGPT plugins with interactive panels and MCP Events support

At its Dev Day presentation on Tuesday, OpenAI said it will let developers build their own app-like experiences inside ChatGPT through plugin extensions. The company already supports plugins that connect ChatGPT to everyday tools such as Slack, SharePoint, Airtable and Google Drive, but the new extensions give apps a dedicated home in the ChatGPT sidebar.

Interactive panels and file viewers

The extensions let developers build interactive panels where users can work with their tools while chatting with ChatGPT. According to the company, the experience can also include file viewers that support whatever file formats a developer's product uses. OpenAI said it is also making plugin development easier and streamlining discovery for end users.

A new Plugin Creator tool

Developers get a new Plugin Creator tool for building, and can submit their work through a redesigned flow that offers clearer feedback. OpenAI said it has improved how plugins are ranked and recommended in its directory and when they surface in conversations. When users choose a plugin, they can approve its access needs individually.

ChatGPT Sites and MCP Events

Plugins can also be hosted on ChatGPT Sites, the lightweight websites users build with ChatGPT, so someone can share an app with colleagues who use it with their own connected data and permissions. OpenAI additionally said it is adding support for the proposed MCP Events specification, which would let plugins start automations based on events in a connected app. Automations themselves are also becoming easier to add and manage.

TechCrunch framed the move as OpenAI targeting any application that works better when integrated with ChatGPT, alongside its new Pages, Slides and Space features.

Sources: TechCrunch · Techmeme