ChatGPT: Not Just an App, But an Operating System

OpenAI is working to transform ChatGPT from a simple app or interface into a full-fledged operating system, a move confirmed by newly appointed Head of App Platform, Glen Coates. Coates announced that the San Francisco-based AI company aims to evolve ChatGPT beyond a chatbot, especially as OpenAI is also partnering with Jony Ive to develop an AI-powered device expected around 2027.

Currently, ChatGPT functions as an app, platform, and interface, supported by AI agents, built-in search, contextual understanding, and third-party app integrations through the ChatGPT Apps feature. These capabilities allow users to complete tasks across different services without leaving the chatbot, placing ChatGPT just one step away from operating system-level functionality.

The remaining challenge is hardware integration, an area Coates will focus on in his new role. Formerly a senior executive at Shopify, Coates will report to ChatGPT head Nick Turley. OpenAI’s growing data center infrastructure, device development efforts, and partnerships with companies like Adobe and Canva position it strongly to potentially create the world’s first AI-driven operating system, though no launch timeline has been announced.