Operator, an AI (Artificial Intelligence) agent has been launched by OpenAI. The AI agent is set to perform tasks autonomously. This means it can automate tasks and take actions on your behalf.
Operator is OpenAI’s first real attempt at creating an AI agent. It is a general-purpose AI agent that can take control of a web browser and independently perform certain actions. These are actions such booking travel accommodations, making restaurant reservations, shopping online, package deliveries etc.
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OpenAI’s announcement
OpenAI announced on Thursday, January 23, 2025 in a blog post that it is launching a research preview of Operator. The AI agent will be available first to U.S. based users who are on ChatGPT’s $200 Pro subscription plan. After which OpenAI plans to roll this feature out to more users in its Plus, Team, and Enterprise tiers eventually. Likewise, it will soon be available to ChatGPT users in other countries.
You can access the initial preview via operator.chatgpt.com
Using OpenAI’s Operator
When ChatGPT users activate the AI agent, a small window will pop up showing a dedicated web browser that the agent uses to complete tasks, along with explanations of specific actions the agent is performing. Users can still take control of their screen while Operator is working, as Operator uses its own dedicated browser.
Open AI says the AI agent is powered by a Computer-Using Agent model (CUA). The CUA is trained to interact with the front-end of websites. This means it can use buttons, navigate menus, and fill out forms on a web page just like an human would. Furthermore, it is trained to ask for user confirmation before finalizing tasks.
Operator’s Limitation
The CUA is not perfect as it was just launched. It currently cannot handle complex and specialized tasks. OpenAI warns that supervision is required for some tasks such as banking transactions. The AI agent can perform mostly on its own. However, users will need to take over some aspects requiring data or information inputs.
