# OpenAI Adds App-Like Plugin Interfaces and Automations to ChatGPT

By Simon Yoon

Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/technology/25465
Published: 2026-09-29T17:24:56.000Z
Updated: 2026-09-29T17:24:56.000Z
Section: Technology

> The expansion adds sidebar homes, interactive panels, file viewers and event-triggered workflows for connected applications.

OpenAI is adding app-like plugin interfaces and event-triggered automations to ChatGPT, giving users more ways to work with connected software inside conversations without leaving the chatbot.

The expansion, announced Sept. 29, will give plugins dedicated homes in ChatGPT’s sidebar. Developers will also be able to create interactive panels that let users work with connected tools while chatting, along with file viewers that support formats used by each product.

Developers will receive a Plugin Creator tool and a redesigned process for submitting plugins to the directory. OpenAI has improved how plugins are ranked, recommended and surfaced during conversations.

Users will be able to approve a plugin’s access requirements individually, giving them more control over the data and functions connected tools can use.

ChatGPT Sites, which lets users build lightweight websites with ChatGPT, will also support plugins. Users will be able to share those app experiences with colleagues, who can connect their own data and permissions.

OpenAI is adding support for the proposed MCP Events specification, allowing plugins to start automations in response to events in connected applications. The company is also making automations easier to add and manage.