Market & Regulation

OpenAI pivots ChatGPT into an app store alternative

TechCrunch AISeptember 29, 2026high confidence

Why it matters

→ChatGPT becomes a distribution channel that bypasses Apple and Google's gatekeeping for AI-native software.
→'Sign in with ChatGPT' creates a portable identity layer, allowing users to carry their AI credits across third-party services.
→Autonomous agents can now invoke external apps directly, shifting user behavior from manual app-switching to agent-driven task completion.

OpenAI pivots ChatGPT into an app store alternative — ©TechCrunch AI

OpenAI announced at its Dev Day event that ChatGPT will serve as a central hub for discovering and launching third-party applications, challenging the dominance of Apple and Google app stores. The company introduced 'Sign in with ChatGPT,' allowing users to carry their AI usage allowances across partner services like Notion, Figma, and Salesforce. Additionally, OpenAI's new autonomous agents, called Dots, can now interact with over 4,000 connected apps to perform tasks without user intervention. While the platform expands its plugin architecture to support interactive panels within chats, OpenAI did not announce a revenue-sharing or billing system comparable to traditional app store economics.

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