OpenAI to unveil ‘Operator’ AI agent, capable of automating complex tasks for users 

According to Bloomberg, the company intends to release the tool in January as a research preview, accessible to developers via an application programming interface (API).

This development comes amidst a rising trend in the tech industry towards agent-based AI systems, which allow software to complete multi-step tasks with minimal human supervision.

Bloomberg stated that a source at OpenAI disclosed that the company has been developing multiple agent-related research projects with a primary focus on creating a general-purpose tool that operates through a web browser.

This AI agent would be capable of navigating, processing, and executing actions on the web on behalf of users. “Operator” aims to bring this functionality to the forefront, empowering developers to build applications that can handle tasks previously requiring manual input.

OpenAI’s move aligns with a broader trend across major tech companies to integrate agentic AI into their offerings. Competitors like Anthropic have already introduced similar tools, including an AI agent that can perform real-time actions based on events on a user’s computer.

This strategy allows companies to leverage existing AI technology in novel ways, potentially driving value through productivity-enhancing applications without the need for continual, costly model improvements.

Naijaonpoint reported that OpenAI has enhanced its ChatGPT model by adding direct web search capabilities, allowing it to generate up-to-date responses and include relevant external links.

These discussions focus on how OpenAI will handle its valuable intellectual property, particularly its ChatGPT technology, under a restructured business model.