A significant leap forward for artificial intelligence, OpenAI has launched a new general-purpose AI agent integrated directly into ChatGPT. Dubbed the ChatGPT agent, this advanced tool is designed to execute a wide array of computer-based tasks on behalf of users — moving beyond just conversational interactions. From managing your schedule and creating presentations to analyzing data and executing code, this release marks OpenAI’s boldest step yet toward building truly agentic AI systems that take action, not just provide answers.
What Is the ChatGPT Agent?
The ChatGPT agent combines capabilities from some of OpenAI’s most sophisticated previous tools. It integrates functionalities similar to Operator, which can autonomously navigate websites, and Deep Research, which can extract and summarize information from dozens of online sources. By combining these abilities, the ChatGPT agent becomes a powerful assistant that can interpret complex user prompts and take real, meaningful action.
Users can interact with the agent using natural language within the ChatGPT interface. There’s no need for scripting or programming — simply describe your task, and the agent takes care of the rest.
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How to Access the ChatGPT Agent
Starting Thursday, the ChatGPT agent is rolling out to subscribers of OpenAI’s Pro, Plus, and Team plans. Once available, users can activate it by selecting “agent mode” from ChatGPT’s dropdown tool menu.
This feature is currently accessible to premium users, indicating OpenAI’s strategic approach to test advanced functionalities in a controlled environment before broader deployment.
What Can the ChatGPT Agent Do?
The ChatGPT agent is designed to offload real tasks from users by understanding context, navigating digital environments, and using external tools. Its capabilities are notably expansive:
- Calendar Management: Automatically read, modify, or plan events in your calendar.
- Presentation Creation: Generate editable slide decks based on user-defined topics.
- Web Navigation: Visit and extract information from websites to inform actions or summaries.
- Code Execution: Write, test, and debug code using an internal terminal.
- Research and Summarization: Sift through large volumes of online content to produce concise, accurate reports.
OpenAI provides concrete examples: ask the agent to “plan and buy ingredients to make Japanese breakfast for four,” or “analyze three competitors and create a slide deck.” These are complex tasks requiring multi-step planning, decision-making, and interaction with various online resources — all within the agent’s skillset.
Integration with External Applications
Thanks to ChatGPT connectors, the agent can link with widely-used applications like Gmail, GitHub, and other third-party services. This unlocks practical, real-world workflows where the agent can:
- Fetch relevant emails for a report.
- Review and comment on GitHub pull requests.
- Access APIs to retrieve data or trigger automation.
This seamless integration transforms ChatGPT from a static conversational tool into a dynamic productivity assistant.
Performance Benchmarks: How Smart Is the Agent?
According to OpenAI, the underlying model powering the ChatGPT agent delivers state-of-the-art performance across several benchmarks.
Humanity’s Last Exam (HLE): The agent scores 41.6% (pass@1) — nearly double the score of OpenAI’s previous top-performing models, o3 and o4-mini. This test consists of thousands of questions spanning more than 100 subjects, designed to simulate a broad general intelligence.
FrontierMath: On one of the toughest known math benchmarks, the ChatGPT agent scored 27.4% when granted access to tools like a code-executing terminal. In contrast, o4-mini previously scored only 6.3%, highlighting a significant leap in computational reasoning and problem-solving.
These metrics reinforce OpenAI’s assertion that the ChatGPT agent is not just iterative but transformative in terms of capability.
Prior Agentic AI Attempts and Challenges
The AI industry has long been captivated by the concept of agentic models — tools that act rather than merely respond. Companies like OpenAI, Google, and Perplexity have introduced multiple versions over the years, each promising intelligent, autonomous execution of tasks.
However, most early agent models have struggled with real-world complexity. They often broke down under unpredictable conditions, misunderstood nuanced instructions, or lacked the context to complete multi-step operations. As a result, many users found them more impressive in theory than in practice.
OpenAI acknowledges these past limitations but claims the ChatGPT agent is built to actually deliver on those earlier promises.
Security and Safety: Built-In Guardrails for a Powerful Tool
With greater capability comes greater risk — and OpenAI is well aware of this. The company has proactively addressed safety concerns by embedding a robust security framework into the ChatGPT agent.
High Capability Warning
In its Preparedness Framework, OpenAI categorizes this new model as “high capability” in the biological and chemical weapon domains. This doesn’t mean it has demonstrated harmful behavior, but rather that it could potentially be used to amplify existing harm pathways if exploited.
To mitigate this risk, OpenAI has activated new real-time monitoring safeguards.
Real-Time Monitoring System
Every prompt entered into ChatGPT agent goes through a classifier that flags biology-related topics. If flagged, the system routes both the prompt and the agent’s response through a secondary filter that checks for potential biological threats.
This layered approach ensures that harmful use cases are actively blocked without overly restricting everyday functionality.
Memory Feature Temporarily Disabled
Another safety measure is the temporary disabling of memory in agent mode. While ChatGPT’s memory feature allows the chatbot to recall user preferences and past interactions, it could be exploited by malicious prompt injections to leak sensitive information.
Disabling memory helps reduce the risk of data exfiltration. However, OpenAI states that memory may be reintroduced once proper safeguards are in place.
What This Means for Users and the Future of AI Agents
The release of the ChatGPT agent may be a watershed moment in how we use AI in everyday life. No longer confined to question-and-answer sessions, AI is beginning to take on the cognitive load of digital work — from managing schedules to analyzing competitive markets and writing production-grade code.
For professionals, developers, entrepreneurs, and researchers, this tool could translate into hours saved, better insights, and more focus on strategic thinking rather than administrative work.
Still, much remains to be seen. As with any new technology, real-world performance, reliability under stress, and user experience will ultimately determine whether this product achieves widespread adoption.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ChatGPT Agent released by OpenAI?
The ChatGPT agent is a powerful, general-purpose AI assistant built into ChatGPT. It can perform complex digital tasks like browsing the web, writing code, managing calendars, analyzing data, creating presentations, and interacting with external applications — all from natural language commands.
How is the ChatGPT Agent different from regular ChatGPT?
While regular ChatGPT is conversational and informative, the agent adds action-oriented capabilities. It can take multi-step actions on your behalf, such as navigating websites, retrieving emails, writing code, or generating documents. It’s designed to go beyond answering questions — it gets things done.
Who can use the ChatGPT Agent?
The agent is currently available to subscribers of ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team plans. If you’re on a free plan, you won’t have access to this feature yet.
How do I access the ChatGPT Agent?
Once it’s available on your plan, you can enable the agent by selecting it from the tool menu in ChatGPT. It typically appears under options like “Browse with web” or “Code Interpreter.”
Does the ChatGPT Agent use plugins or third-party apps?
Yes. The agent can connect with external applications like Gmail, Google Calendar, GitHub, and more via ChatGPT Connectors. This allows it to perform real-world tasks like sending emails or reviewing code.
Is it safe to use the ChatGPT Agent?
OpenAI has implemented strict safety protocols, including real-time monitoring for sensitive topics like biosecurity and temporary disabling of memory in agent mode to prevent data leaks. All agent actions are closely monitored to reduce risks.
Conclusion
The launch of OpenAI’s general-purpose agent within ChatGPT marks a significant step forward in practical, action-oriented artificial intelligence. More than just a chatbot, the agent empowers users to complete complex digital tasks with simple natural language commands — from research and scheduling to coding and web automation. By combining intelligence with real-world utility, OpenAI is pushing the boundaries of what AI assistants can do.