New ChatGPT Stealth Update: Connect ANY App (MCP)

Key Concepts:

• MCP (Machine Communication Protocol) Connectors: Allow ChatGPT to connect to and interact with external applications, services, and websites.
• Zapier: A platform that connects different apps and services, acting as an intermediary for ChatGPT to access apps without direct MCP support.
• Smithy: A directory of MCP servers, enabling connection to various services, but requiring caution due to potential third-party data handling.
• NA10: A platform for creating custom MCP servers, offering greater control and privacy but requiring technical expertise in API descriptions.
• Developer Mode: A setting in ChatGPT that needs to be enabled to use MCP connectors.
• Context Switching: The act of switching between different applications or tasks, which can be disruptive and time-consuming.
• Tool Calls: The process of ChatGPT using MCP connectors to interact with external applications.
• Projects: A feature in ChatGPT that allows users to create separate workspaces with dedicated memory and settings.
• Branching: A feature that allows users to create new chat branches from a specific point in a conversation, preserving the previous context.
• GPT-5 Codex: A specialized model for coding tasks within ChatGPT, offering improved performance and higher limits.

1. Main Topics and Key Points with Specific Details, Facts, Figures, and Technical Terms

• Introduction of MCP Connectors: ChatGPT's new feature allows connection to external applications, services, and websites using MCP connectors, transforming it into a "super agent."
• Practical Use Cases:
  • Connecting to Notion to retrieve tasks.
  • Connecting to Bento (email tool) via Zapier to check subscriber status and potentially unsubscribe them.
  • Scraping LinkedIn posts using Appify to create a style guide and update a spreadsheet weekly.
  • Connecting to Stripe to compare weekly revenue data from different years and generate analysis.
• Limitations and Challenges:
  • Speed: Tool calls can take time (e.g., 30 seconds for a simple task).
  • Reliability: Tool calls can sometimes fail due to ChatGPT not always reading the documentation properly.
  • Context Limits: Large amounts of data can overwhelm the model, leading to errors.
  • Scheduled Tasks: Developer mode needs to be manually enabled for each new chat, preventing automated scheduled tasks for now.
• Availability: MCP connectors are available to ChatGPT Plus or Pro account holders (costing $20 per month).
• Comparison with Claude: Claude is considered better at calling tools, but ChatGPT handles context better, allowing for longer conversations.
• Developer Mode Activation: Users need to activate developer mode in settings (Settings > Connectors > Advanced Settings > Developer Mode).
• MCP Server Explanation: MCP server is an API for AI agents, allowing them to connect and use tools through the API.

2. Important Examples, Case Studies, or Real-World Applications Discussed

• Notion Integration: Retrieving tasks directly from Notion within ChatGPT.
• Bento Integration: Checking if an email address is a subscriber and potentially unsubscribing them.
• LinkedIn Scraping: Automating the process of scraping LinkedIn posts, creating a style guide, and updating a spreadsheet.
• Stripe Integration: Comparing weekly revenue data from different years and generating analysis.
• Asana Integration: Attempting to retrieve pending tasks from Asana (though encountering issues due to the large amount of data).
• Competitor Intelligence: Using LinkedIn scraping to monitor competitors' posts and suggest comments.

3. Step-by-Step Processes, Methodologies, or Frameworks Explained

• Connecting to an Official MCP Server (e.g., Stripe):
  1. Find the official MCP server URL (e.g., on the Stripe website).
  2. Go to ChatGPT settings > Connectors > Create.
  3. Paste the URL, give it a name, and select "OAuth."
  4. Trust the application and click "Create."
  5. Log in to your account and authorize the connection.
• Connecting via Zapier:
  1. Create a Zapier account (free plan offers 300 credits per month).
  2. Connect the desired apps to Zapier (e.g., Bento, Asana).
  3. Get the ChatGPT MCP server URL from Zapier.
  4. Go to ChatGPT settings > Connectors > Create.
  5. Paste the URL, give it a name, and select "OAuth."
  6. Trust the application and connect to Zapier.
  7. Refresh the list of actions in ChatGPT to see the connected apps.
• Connecting via Smithy:
  1. Create a free account on Smithy (smithy.ai).
  2. Find the desired MCP server in the directory (e.g., Superbase).
  3. Get the URL and copy it.
  4. Go to ChatGPT settings > Connectors > Create.
  5. Paste the URL, give it a name, and select "OAuth."
  6. Trust the application and connect to Smithy.
  7. Enter the API key if required.
• Creating a Custom MCP Server with NA10:
  1. Use NA10 to create a workflow that starts an MCP server.
  2. Get the URL from NA10.
  3. (Potentially) Add an API key to the URL for security (research needed).
  4. Use HTTP requests to query APIs.
  5. Describe how to use the tool in detail for ChatGPT to understand.

4. Key Arguments or Perspectives Presented, with Their Supporting Evidence

• ChatGPT as a Super Agent: The ability to connect to external applications transforms ChatGPT from a limited tool into a powerful agent capable of accessing information and taking actions across various platforms.
• Importance of Official MCP Servers: Using official MCP servers is crucial for data privacy and security, as it avoids third-party data handling.
• Trade-offs between ChatGPT and Claude: While Claude is better at calling tools, ChatGPT handles context better, allowing for longer and more complex conversations.
• Potential for Automation: MCP connectors enable significant automation potential, allowing businesses to streamline workflows and gain insights from their data.
• Need for Experimentation: Users should experiment with MCP connectors to find workflows that work for them and debug them for optimal performance.

5. Notable Quotes or Significant Statements with Proper Attribution

• "This turns Chat GBT into a super agent that can access any information, talk to any application, and take any action just about anywhere."
• "Context switching sucks as well. It's just annoying."
• "It's available to anyone who has a plus or pro account. So, as long as you pay 20 bucks per month, you have access to this."
• "I think this is something that people should really be playing around with a lot right now."
• "We are at this point now where it's technically possible. It's not very smooth yet, but it's time to start building the workflows for many people actually."
• "That's essentially how you stay afloat and stay ahead and you know don't be left behind by the AI changes basically."

6. Technical Terms, Concepts, or Specialized Vocabulary with Brief Explanations

• MCP (Machine Communication Protocol): A protocol that allows AI agents to communicate with and use external tools and applications.
• API (Application Programming Interface): A set of rules and specifications that software programs can follow to communicate with each other.
• OAuth: An open standard for access delegation, commonly used as a way for Internet users to grant websites or applications access to their information on other websites but without giving them the passwords.
• JSON (JavaScript Object Notation): A lightweight data-interchange format that is easy for humans to read and write and easy for machines to parse and generate.
• Hallucination: When an AI model generates information that is not based on real-world data or facts.
• Context Window: The amount of text or data that an AI model can consider when generating a response.
• Tool Calling: The process of an AI model using external tools or APIs to perform specific tasks.
• Vibe Coding: Casually coding.

7. Logical Connections between Different Sections and Ideas

• The video starts by introducing the problem of ChatGPT's limitations and then presents MCP connectors as the solution.
• It then provides practical use cases to demonstrate the capabilities of MCP connectors.
• The video discusses the limitations and challenges of MCP connectors, providing a balanced perspective.
• It explains the different methods for setting up MCP connectors, ranging from easy (official MCP servers) to more complex (NA10).
• The video compares ChatGPT with Claude, highlighting their respective strengths and weaknesses.
• It concludes by emphasizing the importance of experimentation and automation, encouraging viewers to explore the potential of MCP connectors.

8. Any Data, Research Findings, or Statistics Mentioned

• ChatGPT Plus/Pro costs $20 per month.
• Zapier offers 300 free credits per month.
• ChatGPT Thinking model has a limit of 3,000 messages per week (15x increase from GPT-3).

9. Clear Section Headings for Different Topics if Multiple Areas are Covered

(The summary is already structured with clear headings based on the key concepts and topics discussed.)

10. A Brief Synthesis/Conclusion of the Main Takeaways

ChatGPT's integration of MCP connectors represents a significant step towards transforming it into a versatile "super agent" capable of interacting with a wide range of external applications and services. While challenges remain in terms of speed, reliability, and context limits, the potential for automation and streamlined workflows is substantial. Users are encouraged to experiment with MCP connectors, starting with the easier methods like official MCP servers and Zapier, while being mindful of data privacy and security. The ongoing development and increasing adoption of MCPs suggest that this technology will become increasingly important for businesses and individuals seeking to leverage the power of AI in their daily tasks.