OpenAI is expanding ChatGPT’s plugin system so developers can build app-like experiences directly inside the chatbot. The changes add dedicated sidebar spaces, interactive panels, file viewers, improved discovery, and support for automations triggered by events in connected services.
The company introduced the updates at OpenAI DevDay 2026 on Tuesday. The expansion comes alongside new ChatGPT features such as Pages, Slides, and Space, as OpenAI pushes ChatGPT beyond standalone conversations and into more work performed inside other tools.
Plugins Get Dedicated Interfaces Inside ChatGPT
ChatGPT already supports plugins that connect to services such as Slack, SharePoint, Airtable, and Google Drive. OpenAI’s updated plugin documentation says extensions can now add interactive views, supported file editing, settings, forms, and full-screen experiences inside ChatGPT.
Developers can also give their plugins a dedicated home in the ChatGPT sidebar. Interactive panels can run alongside a conversation, allowing users to work with an external product without leaving ChatGPT.
File viewers can support formats specific to each developer’s product. OpenAI has also introduced a Plugin Creator tool intended to simplify building and updating plugins.
The company says it has redesigned the submission process for the plugin directory to provide clearer feedback. It is also changing how plugins are ranked, recommended, and surfaced during conversations.
ChatGPT Sites Can Host Plugin Experiences
ChatGPT Sites can host plugins as well, allowing developers to package interactive tools inside sites created with ChatGPT. Other people can then use those tools with their own connected accounts, data, and permissions.
Users can review access requirements for individual plugins before connecting them. Existing authentication and workspace permission controls still apply.
OpenAI is also adding support for the proposed MCP Events specification, which allows plugins to respond when something happens inside a connected service. That could let a plugin start an automation after an event such as a document update or a new message.
The company is also making automations easier to create and manage from ChatGPT. OpenAI’s current plugin system can combine reusable skills, connected applications, app templates, and interactive extensions into a single package.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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