OpenAI’s ChatGPT Agent Rolls Out, Promising Enhanced AI Capabilities

In a major leap forward for artificial intelligence, OpenAI has officially launched “ChatGPT agent,” a powerful unified agentic system capable of performing complex, multi-step tasks autonomously. Introduced on July 17, 2025, the ChatGPT agent combines the best of several AI tools — including Operator’s remote browser for action-taking, Deep Research’s web synthesis capabilities, and the conversational strengths of ChatGPT — to deliver a seamless and highly capable AI assistant.

What is ChatGPT agent?

ChatGPT agent is designed to choose the best tools and approaches needed to complete a wide range of tasks. Whether it’s browsing the internet, writing and running code, editing spreadsheets, generating slides, or interacting with APIs, the agent can carry out operations while maintaining task context across multiple steps.

The system operates through a suite of tools including:

• A visual browser
• A text-only browser
• A code-running terminal
• Direct access to APIs

This level of integration allows the agent to function like a true digital assistant, capable of handling academic research, investment banking workflows, data modeling, and other real-world applications with high accuracy.

Rollout timeline

ChatGPT agent began rolling out on July 17 to:

• Pro users: Full access by the end of the day
• Plus and Team users: Access expected within a few days
• Enterprise and Edu users: Rollout scheduled in the coming weeks

This staged deployment reflects OpenAI’s careful approach to scaling advanced AI capabilities.

Safety first

Given the power of the agent, OpenAI has implemented strong safety measures. One of the biggest concerns in agentic systems is prompt injection — a form of manipulation where malicious instructions are hidden within prompts. To address this, OpenAI has built extensive safeguards and monitoring systems.

In line with its Preparedness Framework, the company has classified this launch as a “High Capability” event in the biological and chemical domain, meaning extra scrutiny and safety checks are in place. OpenAI has promised to update the public regularly on the agent’s progress and risk profile as part of its commitment to transparency.

Expert responses

The tech and academic communities have responded with both optimism and caution.

“ChatGPT agent represents a significant step towards autonomous AI systems that can handle complex, multi-step tasks,” said Dr. Anika Patel, a senior AI researcher at UC Berkeley. “However, the scale of its capabilities also underscores the importance of robust safety measures.”

The launch has reignited debates around job displacement, with some experts warning of potential impacts on industries where digital workflows can now be fully managed by AI. Nonetheless, OpenAI’s clear emphasis on safety and openness is helping ease some of those concerns.

What’s next?

OpenAI has revealed that it will soon provide API access to the underlying system — the Computer-Using Agent (CUA) — allowing developers to create their own autonomous agents.

Future updates will aim to improve the agent’s performance on longer, more complex workflows and expand its ability to operate both in real-time and asynchronously. This opens the door to a wide array of future applications, from enterprise automation to personalized digital assistants.

As the ChatGPT agent rolls out to millions, it marks a significant milestone in AI development — one that blends capability with caution, power with responsibility.