OpenAI has introduced a new feature "Connectors" within ChatGPT that enables users to securely connect to third-party applications like Google Drive, GitHub, Microsoft SharePoint, and others. This enhancement is designed to help users access and work with their external data directly within ChatGPT, improving workflow efficiency without leaving the chat interface.

Connectors are integrations that allow ChatGPT to search, retrieve, and reference content from external applications. These can include cloud storage platforms, email services, productivity tools, and more. Whether you're working with design files, source code, meeting notes, or internal reports, Connectors aim to make it easier to find relevant information in context.

What you can do with Connector

Depending on your plan (Free, Plus, Pro, Team, Enterprise, or Edu), Connectors can support:

1. Search connectors: For one-off file lookups—e.g., “Find last Friday’s design notes in Drive.”
2. Deep research connectors: For analyzing documents across sources to provide structured, cited responses.
3. Synced connectors: Available for some plans, enabling users to pre-index data for faster, more accurate results.

Privacy and Control

OpenAI emphasizes user control and data protection. For enterprise-tier customers (Team, Enterprise, Edu), data from connectors is not used to train models. For individual users, data usage for model training is optional and governed by the "Improve the model for everyone" setting.

Users can manage connectors through ChatGPT’s settings, where they are able to:

1. Connect and authorize access to specific apps
2. Control or remove access at any time
3. View what content ChatGPT can access
4. Opt in or out of data usage settings

Additionally, if a user has ChatGPT’s Memory feature enabled, the system may use previous contextual knowledge to improve search queries within connected apps always within user-controlled boundaries.

This integration aligns with broader trends in productivity AI, where users seek more seamless interaction between tools and intelligent assistants. By incorporating context from familiar work apps, ChatGPT becomes more than just a chatbot, it functions as a reliable assistant embedded in your workflow.

For a full list of supported connectors, configuration instructions, and admin controls, OpenAI has published a dedicated section in its Help Center.