ChatGPT brings apps into chat, beginning with Expedia and Booking.com

OpenAI is popping ChatGPT right into a platform. At its developer convention Monday the corporate launched apps inside ChatGPT—constructed utilizing a brand new Apps SDK (software program improvement package)—and named Expedia and Booking.com amongst its first companions. The transfer successfully opens ChatGPT’s 800 million-user base to third-party builders, creating a brand new distribution channel for journey and a brand new strategy to plan and e-book journey for customers. 

The firm mentioned Tripadvisor, Uber and TheFork are set to have apps on the platform quickly, too. Additional manufacturers out there at launch embody Spotify, Figma, Zillow, Coursera and Canva.

“We’re one of the first travel partners with an app in ChatGPT, with our flight and lodging information appearing directly in ChatGPT conversations,” mentioned Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia Group, on LinkedIn. 

“By bridging the gap between planning in ChatGPT conversations and booking on Expedia, we see enormous potential to create seamless traveler experiences,” Gorin mentioned. 

Users will be capable of study locations, examine lodge and flight choices with real-time pricing and see interactive maps from Expedia inside ChatGPT. 

Users can sort the identify of the app inside their chat to tug in content material from that supply. ChatGPT may also recommend use of an app if it identifies one that’s related to the chat. 

OpenAI mentioned the system is utilizing Model Context Protocol (MCP) to allow ChatGPT to hook up with exterior instruments and knowledge.

Rahul Todkar, head of information and AI for Tripadvisor, mentioned the corporate is wanting ahead to deepening its partnership with OpenAI via its upcoming app, which is able to convey Tripadvisor’s opinions, steerage and AI options into ChatGPT.

“Travelers will be able to ask ChatGPT for personalized, context-aware hotel recommendations and explore an interactive, agentic-first journey that streamlines one of the toughest parts of travel—finding the perfect place to stay,” Todkar mentioned. “Powered by our latest MCP servers and cutting edge gen AI features, this experience blends simplicity with rich decision-making support, making booking easier than ever.”

And the pending partnership is “just the beginning,” in accordance with Todkar. 

“In the coming weeks, we’ll expand to full end-to-end travel planning, complete with activity discovery and booking,” Todkar said.

The ChatGPT apps are available in the U.S., Canada (except Quebec), Singapore, Mexico, New Zealand and India, according to Expedia. PhocusWire also reached out to Booking.com for comment but has not heard back.

Travel brands partnering with AI operators

The news comes on the heels of OpenAI competitor Perplexity’s launch of its AI browser and AI assistant Comet, which it announced last week. Expedia Group is also a partner on Perplexity’s launch and is offering an incentive for travelers to download the browser: Silver status in its OneKey rewards program.

Since gen AI came into play, travel brands have been partnering with providers, seeking an edge as travel becomes more intertwined with the technology. 

In the spring, Tripadvisor and SelfBook linked with Perplexity to provide hotel booking capabilities. In January, Tripadvisor, Booking.com, Priceline, Uber and Hipcamp collaborated with OpenAI on the launch of Operator. Tripadvisor partnered with Perplexity in January, too, to offer better trip planning.

Industry reactions to new ChatGPT apps

As with any new technology release, the travel industry is reacting.

Ira Vouk, founder and principal of Hospitality 2.0 Consulting, wrote on LinkedIn that “things are happening faster than I’m able to type” with ChatGPT, referencing the “‘chatting with apps’” characteristic OpenAI launched.

“Booking.com and Expedia Group have (of course) been invited to the party. Thankfully, doesn’t seem to be working very well yet, so we have a few days to come up with a #directbooking solution for the industry,” Vouk wrote.

Vouk isn’t satisfied the addition of chatting with apps means a major shift of bookings share to on-line journey companies (OTAs). 

“This use case actually requires the user to type the app name in the chat window,” she wrote.

“This behavior is dependent on the user awareness levels, which is dependent on those companies’ advertising budgets. So, this is still NOT the use case that will flip the scale as it doesn’t (yet) affect the ***default*** user behavior.”

And Janette Roush, SVP of innovation and AI for Brand USA, wrote on LinkedIn that the introduction of apps in ChatGPT is “huge” because of the technology they are built on.

“These apps are powered by MCP, an open-source protocol that provides access to the tools that makes your personal AI useful,” Roush wrote. 

Christian Watts, CEO of Magpie, also wrote about the launch on LinkedIn, reiterating that it’s hard to keep up with the evolution of AI.

“Last week was Instant Book (Etsy and Shopify—end-to-end shopping without leaving ChatGPT),” Watts wrote. “Yesterday was Apps. It’s virtually the identical factor as PlugIns which was over 2 years in the past.”

In his submit, Watts mentioned he tried the apps and “couldn’t get Expedia Group to trigger.” However, he mentioned Booking.com labored “reasonably well” however “advanced search fails,” probably as a result of Booking hasn’t giving entry to filter knowledge.

“The only problem here is that the experience of booking a hotel on the Booking app is actually pretty optimized already,” he wrote. “Also, it bounces out of ChatGPT to make the booking (for now).”

Watts mentioned he’ll have an interest to see whether or not the integrations result in the upper surfacing of OTAs in massive language mannequin outcomes. In the quick time period, he mentioned he anticipates success for OTAs.