# ChatGPT Setup

Source checked: 2026-06-19
Official source: https://developers.openai.com/apps-sdk/build/auth

ChatGPT remote MCP setup is a human settings/app connector flow. UI labels change often, so verify current OpenAI docs before changing this guide.

Use Server URL, not Tunnel, for hosted Core. Secure MCP Tunnel is only for private, local, on-prem, or firewall-hidden MCP servers.

Use OAuth for production Core. Core contains user memory and should not be exposed through No Authentication. No Authentication is only useful for a separate disposable public smoke-test server.

Important OAuth requirement:

ChatGPT needs a complete MCP OAuth setup: protected-resource metadata, OAuth/OIDC authorization-server metadata, PKCE, `resource` parameter handling, and a way for ChatGPT to identify/register its OAuth client. OpenAI supports Client ID Metadata Documents, Dynamic Client Registration, or predefined OAuth client credentials. If Core/Clerk does not expose one of those registration paths or the ChatGPT redirect URI is not allowlisted, ChatGPT may show only “There was a problem connecting Core. Try again later.”

Human handoff:

1. Open ChatGPT.
2. Open Settings.
3. Go to Apps, Connectors, or Developer Mode, depending on the current ChatGPT UI.
4. Add a remote MCP connector/app.
5. Choose Server URL and paste this exact Core MCP URL: `https://core.gradien.ai/mcp`.
6. Choose OAuth.
7. If ChatGPT shows a ChatGPT redirect/callback URL, add it to the Core OAuth provider allowlist before retrying.
8. Approve the Core login and permissions.

After the user returns, verify that ChatGPT can see Core `search` and `fetch` compatibility tools as well as the standard Core MCP tools where supported.