ChatGPT Agent can control your computer
OpenAI's new Agent can perform tasks for you.
As a CEO, I see ChatGPT Agent not just as an upgrade—it’s a paradigm shift. Traditionally, ChatGPT has answered our questions; now it’s stepping up to do work for us. Instead of delivering advice or code snippets, it takes real-world actions—booking events, crafting research reports, managing files—using its own secure virtual computer.
Think of it as moving from a consultant to a junior member of your team: you give goals, it breaks them down, executes across browsers, terminals, APIs—and pauses when user approval is needed. For example, instruct it to plan a business trip: the agent opens your calendar, finds flights and hotels, reserves tables via OpenTable, compiles the itinerary, and crafts slide decks summarizing the trip—all within one conversation.
Activation and practical use
Easy to switch on: Users activate "agent mode" directly in the ChatGPT interface or by typing
/agentAutonomous, but safe: The agent defaults to a supervised mode—every critical step (like sending emails or charging cards) asks for explicit user confirmation. It also stops if you navigate away or ask it to pause.
Toolset: It operates within a visual browser, terminal, file reader, and connects with services like Gmail, Google Calendar, GitHub—blending Operator and Deep Research functionalities.
This demo video from OpenAI showcases the agent in action—booking a lunch via calendar and delivery services, then assembling a presentation deck. It offers a real glimpse of its capabilities for leaders and teams.
In summary: ChatGPT Agent elevates AI’s role from advisor to executor. As CEOs and business leaders, our role becomes one of defining outcomes, setting guardrails, and empowering this AI collaborator to handle time-consuming, multi-step tasks—freeing up our humans to focus on strategy, interpretation, and innovation.