Can you imagine an AI that not only chats but also takes care of your shopping and meal planning? On Thursday, OpenAI unveiled the ChatGPT Agent, a groundbreaking feature that allows its AI assistant to complete multi-step tasks autonomously by navigating the web on its own.

This exciting update combines the power of OpenAI's previous Operator tool with the Deep Research feature, enabling ChatGPT to surf websites, execute code, and generate documents while you stay in control of the entire experience.

The ChatGPT Agent represents a significant leap into the world of what tech enthusiasts are calling "agentic AI"—intelligent systems capable of executing complex actions on behalf of users. Imagine telling your AI, "Help me find a perfect outfit for my friend’s wedding," or "Create a stunning PowerPoint presentation for my upcoming pitch." The ChatGPT Agent can do just that, handling requests from assembling clothing ensembles to updating financial spreadsheets with ease.

Utilizing a blend of web browsing, terminal access, and API integrations, including features like "ChatGPT Connectors" that seamlessly work with apps such as Gmail and GitHub, this AI is designed to take productivity to the next level.

When you engage with the Agent, you'll see a window within the ChatGPT interface that showcases its actions inside a private sandbox. This sandbox has its own virtual operating system and web browser, ensuring that it doesn’t interact with your personal device directly. As OpenAI describes, "ChatGPT carries out these tasks using its own virtual computer," fluidly transitioning between reasoning and actions to complete complex workflows based on your guidance.

A promotional demo even shows the AI agent searching for flights, a glimpse into its capabilities. However, much like its predecessor, the Operator feature, the Agent requires user permission before executing any actions that could have real-world implications, like making purchases. You can halt tasks at any moment, take control of the browser, or even stop operations entirely. Plus, there’s a "Watch Mode" for tasks, such as sending emails, that demand your active oversight.

As the Agent eclipses the Operator in functionality, OpenAI has announced that the original Operator preview site will remain operational for a limited time before being retired.

But here’s where the excitement meets reality: While OpenAI boasts about the Agent's abilities, the actual performance of this new AI will likely vary. This is because the AI model isn't a fully autonomous problem-solver but more of an advanced imitation machine. It shows some adaptability in tackling scenarios but can hit blind spots when faced with unfamiliar tasks. OpenAI trained the Agent using examples of computer and tool usage, so you might find that tasks outside its training data remain a challenge.