OpenAI has launched a powerful new AI assistant feature for ChatGPT that allows users to delegate everyday tasks like browsing the web, making restaurant reservations, and shopping online—marking a major leap in AI’s ability to act, not just analyse.
The new ChatGPT agent, available from this week to users on paid “pro”, “plus”, and “teams” plans, gives the chatbot autonomy to interact with files, browsers, calendars, and software such as spreadsheets and presentations. However, it will not launch in the EU for now, and the company has acknowledged that the enhanced capabilities bring heightened risks.
In a blog post announcing the update, OpenAI said: “The model not only thinks but also acts.”
The rollout follows similar initiatives from Google and Anthropic, as AI firms race to release “agents”—systems capable of handling multi-step computer-based tasks with limited human oversight. These assistants can complete everything from planning travel to organising documents or conducting online research, and are designed to toggle between systems to get jobs done efficiently.
While the new assistant promises greater convenience, OpenAI has been transparent about the potential dangers of granting an AI model active control. The company confirmed that the agent will always seek user permission before taking any irreversible or consequential action, such as making purchases or deleting files.
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