OpenAI transitioned from an AI service provider to a platform power at its DevDay 2026 conference in San Francisco on September 29, 2026. By introducing persistent agents, a cross-platform billing system, and a collaborative workspace, the company is positioning ChatGPT as a centralized “AI Operating System” that functions independently of traditional mobile app stores.
The company’s scale now rivals major social networks, with OpenAI confirming that ChatGPT has reached 1.2 billion weekly active users. To support this massive user base, OpenAI released two new models: GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-6 Luna. These models are designed to provide intelligence levels close to the flagship Astra model but at a significantly lower operational cost.
The Rise of Persistent Agents
The center of this new ecosystem is “Dots,” a feature involving persistent, always-on AI agents. Unlike standard chatbots that respond only to direct prompts, Dots are designed to operate in the background, managing tasks such as calendar scheduling and booking reservations without constant user oversight.
This move toward “agentic” software shifts the user experience away from opening individual apps for specific tasks. However, these features face immediate geographic hurdles. OpenAI confirmed that Dots are currently unavailable to individual users in the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland due to local regulatory requirements.
Challenging the App Store Billing Model
OpenAI is also addressing the infrastructure of software distribution through “Sign in with ChatGPT.” This feature allows users to carry their paid Plus and Pro subscription benefits across more than 15 partner applications. By providing a portable usage allowance, OpenAI is effectively creating an alternative to the billing layers dominated by Apple and Google.
Complementing this is the OpenAI Marketplace, a catalog of approved partner software. This marketplace allows enterprise customers to purchase third-party software using their existing OpenAI spending commitments. While this creates a new discovery hub for developers, OpenAI has not yet announced specific revenue-sharing plans for third-party applications discovered through the platform.
Collaborative Work
For professional users, the company introduced “ChatGPT Space,” a shared environment where teams and AI agents can collaborate on documents and complex tasks. The new environment moves beyond simple text editing into a full workspace intended to compete with established productivity suites like Notion and Google Workspace.
According to official DevDay 2026 details, these updates represent a shift toward a software model where the AI model serves as the primary interface for both personal and enterprise computing. By integrating identity, billing, and autonomous execution into a single platform, OpenAI is reducing the friction of moving between disparate apps, potentially marginalizing the role of traditional mobile operating systems.
