OpenAI launches ChatGPT agent that performs complex, multistep tasks

OpenAI launched ChatGPT agent, a powerful artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can perform complex, multistep tasks. Built on a custom model combining the company’s Operator and Deep Research tools, the new agent uses “its own virtual computer” and is capable of completing tasks like creating slide decks and generating spreadsheets.

It is designed to work in the background and request confirmation before taking “actions of consequence” such as sending an email, according to OpenAI.

Pro, Plus and Team users can activate ChatGPT’s new agentic capabilities directly through the tools dropdown from the composer by selecting ‘agent mode’ at any point in any conversation.

The rise of AI agents in businesses marks a significant shift in how companies operate, automate and interact.

OpenAI launches ChatGPT agent built for iterative, collaborative workflows

ChatGPT agent is designed for iterative, collaborative workflows and is far more interactive and flexible than previous models, Open AI stated. “As ChatGPT works, you can interrupt at any point to clarify your instructions, steer it toward desired outcomes or change the task entirely. It will pick up where it left off, now with the new information, but without losing previous progress.”

Likewise, ChatGPT itself may proactively seek additional details from you when needed to ensure the task remains aligned with your goals, OpenAI added. “If a task takes longer than anticipated or feels stuck, you can pause it, ask it for a progress summary or stop it entirely and receive partial results. If you have the ChatGPT app on your phone, it will send you a notification when it’s done with your task.”

Unified agentic capabilities significantly enhance ChatGPT’s usefulness in both everyday and professional contexts, OpenAI stated. “At work, you can automate repetitive tasks, like converting screenshots or dashboards into presentations composed of editable vector elements, rearranging meetings, planning and booking offsites and updating spreadsheets with new financial data while retaining the same formatting.”

Register for All Access: AI in Business Transformation 2025!

New capabilities introduce novel risks

The release marks the first time users can ask ChatGPT to take actions on the web. “This introduces new risks, particularly because ChatGPT agent can work directly with your data, whether it’s information accessed through connectors or websites that you have logged it into via takeover mode,” OpenAI said. 

The firm stated it has strengthened the robust controls from Operator’s research preview and added safeguards for challenges such as handling sensitive information on the live web, broader user reach and (limited) terminal network access. “While these mitigations significantly reduce risk, ChatGPT agent’s expanded tools and broader user reach mean its overall risk profile is higher.”

OpenAI has also placed particular emphasis on safeguarding ChatGPT agent against adversarial manipulation through prompt injection, which is a risk for agentic systems generally. “Prompt injections are attempts by third parties to manipulate its behavior through malicious instructions that ChatGPT agent may encounter on the web while completing a task.”

The agent has been trained and tested on identifying and resisting prompt injections, in addition to using monitoring to rapidly detect and respond to prompt injection attacks.

“Requiring explicit user confirmation before consequential actions further reduces the risk of harm from these attacks, and users can intervene in tasks as needed by taking over or pausing. Users should weigh these tradeoffs when deciding what information to provide to the agent, as well as take steps to minimize their exposure to these risks, such as disabling connectors when they aren’t needed for a task.”

All Access: Change Management or Business Transformation 2025

All Access: Change Management or Business Transformation 2025 from PEX Network will help professionals get an understanding of the latest developments in change management, including how to overcome resistance to change, how to create a culture of change, and how to measure the success of change initiatives.

Register Now