OpenAI is transforming ChatGPT from a simple chatbot into a personal assistant that can perform tasks on your behalf. The company has just launched its new “ChatGPT Agent,” a powerful tool designed to tackle complex, real-world tasks directly from your computer. For now, this impressive feature is only available to paying subscribers on ChatGPT Plus, Pro, or Team plans.
This new agent fundamentally changes how you use the chatbot. Instead of asking a question, getting an answer, and then doing the work yourself in another app, you can now give ChatGPT Agent a single command to handle everything. For instance, you could tell it to “plan a trip to Tokyo, find three hotels under $150 a night, and put them into a table with pros and cons.” The AI will then browse the web, find the hotels, and create the comparison table for you, all in one seamless process.
The agent can also connect with other programs and accounts on your computer. It can check your calendar to see when you’re free before making dinner reservations, or even create an entire PowerPoint presentation based on its online research. This moves the AI from simply providing information to actively completing tasks, like a real assistant would.
Of course, granting an AI this much control raises significant concerns about its safety. OpenAI says it has built in strong safeguards to prevent problems. The agent will always ask for your final approval before sending an email or confirming a purchase. It also actively screens for and shuts down any shady or harmful requests, so you can’t ask it to do anything illegal.
This upgrade represents a significant leap forward, transforming ChatGPT from a clever novelty into a genuinely useful tool that can handle the tedious details of your life. It offers action, not just answers—if you’re willing to pay for it.
