OpenAI has launched Dots, a new personal AI assistant that is designed to work on tasks for users instead of simply answering questions.
The company introduced Dots at its annual developer conference on September 29. OpenAI describes Dots as “always-on” AI agents that can take responsibility for tasks and continue working after a user has moved on to something else.
The launch is part of OpenAI’s growing focus on AI agents. These systems are meant to do more than generate text or answer questions. They can use connected tools, work through several steps and complete tasks with less input from the user.
OpenAI is positioning Dots as a personal assistant that can handle work, research, planning and other everyday tasks.
OpenAI Dots Can Handle Multi-Step Tasks Without Constant Instructions
OpenAI says a Dot is meant to act as an extension of the user rather than simply as a chatbot.
Users can give a Dot a responsibility and allow it to work through the task over time. The agent can determine what needs to happen next, continue working in the background and return to the user when a decision or review is required.
For example, OpenAI says a Dot could help prepare an investor presentation by tracking product and revenue data, updating figures and identifying information that needs attention. It could also help with software projects by tracking an API migration, preparing code and tests, and monitoring remaining work.
The system is also designed for personal tasks. OpenAI gives the example of a Dot finding dinner options, checking delivery times and totals, and then waiting for the user’s approval before placing an order.
This approach marks a shift from the usual question-and-answer model of AI assistants. Instead of requiring users to repeatedly tell the system what to do, Dots are intended to keep track of an ongoing responsibility and move the work forward.
GPT-6 Astra Powers OpenAI’s New Dots Assistants
OpenAI says Dots run on GPT-6 Astra, its model for the new agent system. Each Dot has its own cloud computer and browser, allowing it to carry out tasks online without relying on the user’s computer remaining switched on. OpenAI says Dots can research information, analyze data, prepare documents and build software using relevant context from previous conversations and the user’s preferences.
The company also says Dots can learn from user feedback over time. A user can correct how the assistant works, and those preferences can be used in later tasks. This persistent context is an important part of the product. OpenAI says a Dot can use relevant
ChatGPT memory as well as its own saved notes about a user’s preferences, decisions and ongoing projects. That means users do not necessarily have to start from scratch every time they return to a task.
Dots Can Connect With More Than 4,000 Apps
OpenAI is also giving Dots access to connected applications. The company says its plugin ecosystem allows Dots to connect with more than 4,000 apps. Depending on the permissions granted by the user, they can work with tools such as Google Drive, Google Calendar and GitHub.
Dots can also be used through ChatGPT, Slack and Microsoft Teams. Users can communicate with the same Dot across these services rather than creating a separate assistant for each platform. For example, a Dot added to Slack can follow questions in a work channel and prepare answers or updates.
In Microsoft Teams, it can help turn conversations into tasks and prepare material for users to review. The assistant can also contact the user when it has completed work or needs a decision.
OpenAI Gives Users Control Over Dots’ Actions
Giving an AI system the ability to work continuously raises questions about how much control users should give it. OpenAI says Dots include controls that allow users to decide which applications an agent can access and which actions it can take independently.
Users can create custom rules that allow certain actions, require approval for others or block specific actions altogether. OpenAI also says actions that could affect accounts or share information can go through additional checks, and some actions require explicit user approval.
The company gives password changes as an example of an action that remains with the user.
OpenAI says Dots also have safeguards intended to protect against malicious instructions and potentially harmful behavior. These controls are important because an always-on assistant has more opportunities to act than a conventional chatbot. A system that can access email, documents, calendars and other applications can potentially make changes without the user manually performing each step.
OpenAI’s Dots Struggled With Voice Updates During Demo
The launch was not without technical issues. During OpenAI’s presentation, some live demonstrations of Dots did not work as expected. The agents had problems delivering voice updates after being given requests on stage.
OpenAI executive Romain Huet acknowledged the problem during the event, while the company later indicated that the issues were related to rolling out multiple updates at the same time.
The problems did not prevent OpenAI from launching the product, but they highlighted one of the challenges of building AI systems that are expected to operate continuously and complete multi-step tasks.
Traditional chatbots generally stop after producing an answer. Agent systems such as Dots have to keep track of a task, interact with different services and respond to changes while deciding when they should ask the user for help.
OpenAI Dots Target Professional And Personal AI Tasks
OpenAI’s launch comes as technology companies increasingly focus on AI systems that can take action instead of simply generating responses. Meta launched Muse earlier this month as an always-on personal AI assistant, while Google has also been developing AI products that can handle more tasks on behalf of users.
OpenAI has been moving in the same direction with products such as Codex and ChatGPT’s agent capabilities. Dots bring many of those ideas into a more persistent personal assistant that can continue working across projects. The company is also targeting professional users. Its examples include sales proposals, investor presentations, software development, customer requests and content creation.
For businesses, this could mean using an AI agent to monitor work and prepare updates instead of asking an employee to repeatedly perform the same checks. For individual users, the focus is more on everyday tasks such as scheduling, research, planning and online purchases.
Dots Are Now Rolling Out To Supported ChatGPT Users
OpenAI says Dots are rolling out gradually through ChatGPT on the web, mobile and desktop.
Access is currently available to eligible users on Pro, Business Premium and Enterprise plans in supported markets.
Enterprise users need their workspace administrator to enable the feature. OpenAI is presenting Dots as a new way of working with AI rather than simply another chatbot feature. The central idea is that users can hand over an ongoing responsibility, provide feedback and allow the agent to continue working while they focus on other things.
If the system works as OpenAI describes, the change could be significant for how people use AI assistants. Instead of opening a chatbot whenever they need an answer, users could have an AI agent continuously working on projects and returning only when there is progress to report or a decision that requires human input.
