ChatGPT Agent Is Here

ChatGPT can now take real-world actions on your behalf—autonomously.

This new capability, called ChatGPT agent, allows the AI to handle complex tasks from start to finish using its own virtual computer.

We’re talking about full workflows: analyzing data, booking travel, shopping, summarizing emails, even building slide decks.

And it’s doing it all by combining OpenAI’s most powerful tools into one package.

What does ChatGPT agent mean for you?

I broke it all down with Marketing AI Institute founder and CEO Paul Roetzer on Episode 158 of The Artificial Intelligence Show.

The Rise of Fully Autonomous AI

ChatGPT agent isn’t just an upgrade. It’s a major milestone in AI’s march toward autonomy.

For the first time, users can ask ChatGPT to complete real-world tasks that require reasoning, planning, and multiple steps—and it will carry them out end-to-end.

That includes tasks like:

• Reviewing your calendar and briefing you on client meetings
• Planning and ordering ingredients for a dinner party
• Conducting research and generating presentations

And it does all this using a unified AGI system that blends three powerful capabilities:

1. Operator: lets the model interact with websites through a visual interface.
2. Deep Research: enables sophisticated information synthesis.
3. ChatGPT: brings it all together with human-like conversational fluency.

AI expert Ethan Mollick got early access to ChatGPT agent, and gave it the following review:

From Theory to Action: The Evolution of Agents

Roetzer notes this is part of a long evolution, going back to a seminal 2017 research paper titled "World of Bits" that first proposed computer-use agents, though they were largely theoretical.

"At the time, they basically said: We're just not there yet. We can't physically do what we want these things to do, which is give them access to keyboard and mouse and fill out forms and take actions on websites like humans do," he says.

Now, those limitations are gone.

But, with great power comes great…risk.

OpenAI knows it. Altman explicitly warns users not to treat this like a polished product.

"It’s cutting edge and experimental," he posted on X. "Not something I’d yet use for high-stakes uses or with a lot of personal information."

Why? Because giving an agent access to your files, inbox, or calendar means it could inadvertently mishandle private information—or be manipulated into doing so by bad actors. That’s why OpenAI recommends minimum access: Only give it what it absolutely needs to complete a task.

Altman even gave a cautionary example: Asking ChatGPT to handle all your overnight emails without follow-up. That could lead to disaster if a malicious message tricks it into leaking data.

To address these risks, OpenAI has added multiple layers of safeguards, including:

• Explicit permissions before taking consequential actions.
• Watch Mode for critical tasks like email.
• Active refusal training for dangerous or high-risk prompts.

But the company is also clear: This is a release they expect to learn from as it works in the wild. They expect issues to arise, and they’re asking users to proceed carefully.

What ChatGPT Agent Means for Teams and Companies

ChatGPT agent is currently rolling out to Pro, Plus, and Team users, with enterprise access coming soon. That means it could soon land in your organization, ready or not.

"You and your organization better be updating your AI usage policies really fast," he says. "Because there's a chance your employees may be able to turn on this kind of access, or they'll use their personal access and it will see things that your company has if they're using company servers, company emails, etc."

He also suggests companies consider disabling agent access on work devices until they fully understand the risks. With ChatGPT agent operating on a virtual computer but seeing and acting on your real data, the line between experimentation and exposure is razor thin.

What ChatGPT agent does today is just the beginning.

It already performs better than humans on complex tasks in data analysis, spreadsheet editing, and even investment banking modeling in OpenAI’s internal benchmarks.

And we haven’t even seen what it will do once fully integrated with workplace tools or enterprise APIs.

"Overall, it is still very early, especially when it comes to computer use," says Roetzer. "But the leading labs, are all very aggressively pursuing this path of development and deployment. And so we have to start, be preparing for it."