2026 Market Alert: OpenAI is Retiring Custom GPTs and Expanding Plugins

Why Read This Research

OpenAI is retiring custom GPTs, while expanding plugins with capabilities that can carry forward parts of the workflows institutions built in GPTs. This Market Alert explains what does and does not migrate, including instructions, reference files, conversations, model selection, sharing, and custom actions. It also outlines how institutions should inventory critical GPT-supported workflows, test migrated plugins, and govern AI workflows that connect instructions, data, tools, and institutional systems.

Key Questions Answered

• What parts of a custom GPT migrate to a plugin, and which elements such as conversation history, model selection, custom actions, and sharing settings do not?
• Which GPT-supported workflows should institutions prioritize for migration, and how should replacements be tested before retirement?
• How does the plugin model change governance for permissions, connected apps, data access, ownership, and human approval?
• What does OpenAI’s shift toward composable workflows signal about broader enterprise AI architecture and platform dependency?

Features

• Featured Vendor: OpenAI
• Software Category: AI/ML Platforms
• Future Campus Impacts: Operations, Governance, Risk, Innovate
• Author: Nipuna Ambanpola, Analyst, Tambellini Group
• Research Availability: September 2026