OpenAI Agent Tool Preview for Pro Plan Users

OpenAI's Operator Tool: Imminent Release?

The release of OpenAI’s Operator agent tool may be approaching rapidly. Modifications detected within ChatGPT’s codebase indicate that Operator will be initially accessible as an early research preview.

These alterations are not currently visible to the public. However, a user on X, known as Choi, identified these updates within ChatGPT’s client-side code. TechCrunch independently verified the presence of the same references to Operator on OpenAI’s official website.

Key Observations

Several noteworthy details have been uncovered:

• References to the operator.chatgpt.com URL are present. Currently, this URL redirects to the primary chatgpt.com webpage.
• A new pop-up notification will prompt users to upgrade their subscription plan to access Operator. The message states that Operator is exclusively available to Pro subscribers as part of an early research preview.
• OpenAI will incorporate “Access to research preview of Operator” as a benefit of the Pro subscription plan on the page detailing the Plus and Pro plans.

Prior reporting by Bloomberg indicated that OpenAI was developing a versatile agent capable of executing tasks within a web browser environment.

This concept involves automating routine web-based actions that typically require multiple clicks. Examples include following individuals on LinkedIn, recording expenses in Concur, assigning tasks in Asana, or updating prospect statuses in Salesforce. An agent could manage these complex, multi-step processes based on provided instructions.

Recent reports from The Information suggested a potential launch of Operator as early as this week. The current code changes strongly suggest that a public release is now prepared.

Comparison to Anthropic’s Approach

Anthropic has recently unveiled an AI model with the capability to control a personal computer through a “Computer Use” API. This utilizes local tools to manage mouse and keyboard inputs and is currently available as a beta for developers.

Unlike Anthropic’s model, Operator is expected to function within the ChatGPT website. This means it will not directly interact with a user’s local computer. Instead, OpenAI will likely utilize web browsers running on their servers to complete tasks on the user’s behalf.

This development nonetheless demonstrates progress in OpenAI’s ability to interact with computational systems. Operator represents a specific, contained application of the company’s broader agentic framework. Further details regarding the technology underpinning Operator are anticipated.