OpenAI promised 2025 would be a huge year for AI development, and the launch of its first AI agent, Operator, certainly ticks the box. This autonomous AI agent will automatically perform online tasks for you and spells the beginning of the next generation of AI.
OpenAI’s Operator Is Only Available to ChatGPT Pro Subscribers
OpenAI’s Operator AI agent is designed to search the web and accomplish your tasks. It has an integrated browser that allows it to take care of tasks such as making a dinner reservation, shopping for an item, filling out a form, and more. OpenAI is collaborating with several companies, including DoorDash, Instacart, OpenTable, Priceline, StubHub, Thumbtack, and Uber, making sure Operator has real-world use.
AnOpenAI blog postdescribed more on how Operator works:
Operator can “see” (through screenshots) and “interact” (using all the actions a mouse and keyboard allow) with a browser, enabling it to take action on the web without requiring custom API integrations.
If it encounters challenges or makes mistakes, Operator can leverage its reasoning capabilities to self-correct. When it gets stuck and needs assistance, it simply hands control back to the user, ensuring a smooth and collaborative experience.
Along with some preset prompts, users can also add custom instructions. Operator can also run multiple tasks simultaneously.
The AI agent is far from perfect, though. OpenAI said that Operator currently has problems with complex interfaces, like managing a calendar. However, if it can’t complete a task, Operator “hands control back to the user,” and lets you take control again. That may be frustrating to begin with, but Operator will improve with time (and probably quite quickly once more people begin using it).
At the time of writing,Operatoris only available as a “research preview” for anyone subscribing to the$200 monthly Pro tier launched in December 2024. In the future, the tool will arrive to Plus, Team, and Enterprise users. Eventually, Operator will also be integrated directly into ChatGPT.
Operator Sparks the Next Generation of AI
While ChatGPT and other chatbots have previously been passive and required users to lead the interaction, Operator is a new breed of AI. Putting AI to work to do tasks around the web can make the technology even more useful in everyday life. For example, OpenAI says you can “simply describe the task you’d like done and Operator can handle the rest.” However, you’ll have to be on hand to finalize payments, solve CAPTCHAs, and other similar human-focused tasks.
OpenAI is betting heavily on AI agents. In a blog post in late 2024, CEOSam Altman said AI agents might enter the workforce in 2025, and Operator is a clear sign of that happening.
