Your ChatGPT Subscription Can Now Work in Other Apps

OpenAI now lets ChatGPT subscribers use the AI features included in their subscriptions inside other apps. For supported features, they no longer need a separate API key or a separate payment setup.

OpenAI talked about this change on Thursday, October 22, at its DevDay Exchange event in Seoul, South Korea.

The feature is called “Sign in with ChatGPT.” It lets people who qualify connect their ChatGPT accounts to other apps and use the AI features they already pay for.

The first launch includes 16 partners. These include Devin, an AI helper for writing code; Notion, a tool for organizing work; and Vercel, a platform for building websites.

How It Works

ChatGPT subscribers can use their existing OpenAI accounts to sign in to apps that support this feature. After signing in, they can choose whether to let the app use the AI included in their ChatGPT subscription. This means they do not need to create an OpenAI API key or set up separate payments for supported AI requests.

But using AI in other apps still counts toward the limits of their existing ChatGPT subscription. It does not give them extra usage. Users can also choose how much of their weekly ChatGPT allowance each connected app is allowed to use.

Availability and Restrictions

OpenAI first made this feature available to ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers. It supported certain open-source tools and selected business partners. OpenAI's current documents also say that ChatGPT Go subscribers can share their usage allowances with participating commercial apps.

Developers who build commercial apps or services that run on remote servers must meet extra requirements. The feature is still not widely available to everyone. Other apps may also charge users separately for their own services, subscriptions, or the computer systems they use.

New ChatGPT Plugin Features

OpenAI has also added new ways for developers to bring their services directly into ChatGPT. The improved plugin system lets apps work through ChatGPT's side menu, special workspaces, and tools for editing files. This means people can use services from other companies without leaving ChatGPT, while still getting help from ChatGPT.

For example, users could check their calendar meetings, write notes, and save documents in a shared ChatGPT Space. Their coworkers and AI agents could then help look over the information and finish tasks that need to be done afterward.

Developers can send their plugins to OpenAI for review. If OpenAI approves them, developers can choose when to release them. OpenAI requires developers to provide testing materials and videos showing how their plugins work.

Privacy and Security

OpenAI says that signing in to another app does not automatically let that app see someone's ChatGPT conversations or memories. The app gets basic account information, but it must ask for separate permission to access anything more.

OpenAI has also introduced a feature called Locked Chats. It hides conversations that users choose from their normal chat list. However, Locked Chats does not add end-to-end encryption, which is a way to keep messages private so only the people communicating can read them. It also does not change OpenAI's existing rules about how long it keeps user data.

Lower Costs for Developers

Letting apps share a user's ChatGPT subscription could make it cheaper for developers to offer AI features. This could be especially helpful when they are testing new products or letting their first users try them. Before this change, developers usually had to pay API costs themselves or ask users to set up separate payment information.

By letting approved apps use the ChatGPT allowances that customers already have, OpenAI hopes to make AI services easier to use. It also wants to help developers bring in more users.

Albert Yip, OpenAI's Head of Technical Success for Asia-Pacific, said the company wants to help people find products made by developers. It also wants to make it easier for developers to reach new customers.

However, because ChatGPT and connected apps share the same usage limits, subscribers will need to keep track of how much AI they use across all these services.