E76: ChatGPT Apps Explained: OpenAI Dev Day 2025 Breakdown

OpenAI’s Dev Day 2025 introduced ChatGPT apps — a new ecosystem that lets users book travel, create content, and manage tasks directly inside ChatGPT. Malcolm analyzes whether this platform play will succeed, why developers are wary, and what it means for businesses considering ChatGPT automation.

Key Topics Covered

1. The ChatGPT Apps Announcement

• How the new ecosystem works (Booking.com, Expedia, Spotify, Canva, Figma, Coursera, Zillow)
• 800 M weekly active users (up from 700 M)
• 8 billion tokens/minute processed via API
• Comparison to failed 2023 plugins

2. OpenAI’s Platform Strategy

• Aiming to be your “digital life orchestration layer”
• Learning from Meta’s ecosystem model
• 30 % cut → “Apple Store of AI” play
• MCP protocol adoption from Anthropic

3. AgentKit — Workflow Automation Platform

• Visual drag-and-drop agent builder (demo in 7 minutes)
• Guardrails for safe agent deployment
• ChatKit assistant for building agents
• Evals & prompt optimization tools

4. Why Developers Are Skeptical

• Still no revenue sharing after 21 months
• Vendor lock-in to OpenAI models only
• EU access blocked (27 member states)
• GDPR fines (Italy €15 M)
• Broken trust in the developer community

5. ChatGPT vs n8n

• AgentKit = ease of use + integration
• n8n = 400 + integrations, self-hosting, model choice
• Serious businesses prototype in ChatGPT → build in n8n
• Avoid full dependency on one platform

6. Business Implications

• Who should adopt (B2C, general productivity)
• Who should avoid (lock-in risk = enterprises / EU)
• Commoditization problem for OpenAI
• Real-world CRM integration examples

7. The Big Question

“Do you want one company controlling your entire digital ecosystem?”

• 75 % of users prefer diversification
• Trust > features
• Control of conversation = control of platform

💬 Notable Quotes

• “ChatGPT wants to become an orchestration layer for your entire digital life.”
• “Developers are like that girlfriend you cheated on — ChatGPT broke their promise 21 months ago.”
• “I have 800 million paying customers. Who wants a piece of it? And by the way, I’m taking 30 percent.”
• “The question is not who controls the conversation — but where does it happen?”

📚 Resources Mentioned

• OpenAI Dev Day 2025 Announcements
• ChatGPT AgentKit Platform
• MCP Protocol by Anthropic
• n8n Workflow Automation
• Zapier / Make.com Alternatives
• ChatGPT GPT Store
• EU AI Act & GDPR Regulations

🔗 Connect with Malcolm Werchota

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📧 Contact: malcolm@werchota.ai

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🎬 Production Note

Episode recorded live from a hotel in Lower Austria after Malcolm’s workshop with a construction company.

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