OpenAI introduces Dots: Always-on AI agents that work 24/7 and act on your behalf

OpenAI hosted its annual DevDay 2026 in San Francisco, announcing several new developer tools and AI capabilities. However, among all the announcements, OpenAI Dots was one of the more notable tools unveiled at the event. At the event, the OpenAI CEO introduced an AI agent called “dots” that, it says, works continuously on a user's behalf rather than waiting for prompts.

The company described Dots as “remarkably capable, always-on agents built to handle everything,” and positions the tool as the next step beyond the conversational ChatGPT experience. Altman said Dots are “more ambitious” than ChatGPT, and that it could bring a “whole new way to work with AI.”

Must read: Trump’s America.gov goes live: New portal simplifies US services, but its AI contradicts him

“In the future, if you like, you can work with a whole team of dots,” he added.

What is Dots and how does it work?

According to an OpenAI blog post, Dots are always-on AI agents that act as digital extensions of users to autonomously manage multi-step tasks, workflows, and background projects. The agents are powered by GPT-6 Astra, giving them the power to learn user preferences, adapt to feedback over time, and operate continuously.

Unlike a standard chatbot experience, a dot can handle several projects, as it consists of its own browser and connected apps. This way, it can run code, perform multi-step web navigation, and execute tasks independently in the background. Users can open the dot's computer at any time to inspect its progress and tasks.

Must read: 'AI is like fake news': Trump renames artificial intelligence as 'super intelligence'; here's why

Dots come with over 4,000 app plugins, and they can be connected across platforms such as ChatGPT, Slack, and Microsoft Teams. It is seamlessly accessible, as users can communicate with the agent via text, voice, or messaging across supported platforms.

Its capabilities and use cases are spread across software engineering, content production, marketing, research, and data analysis. In addition, it also has specialized variants that are dedicated to corporate users. OpenAI is also working with Microsoft to integrate specialist dots with the governance and security controls in Agent 365, so businesses can manage them through tools they already use.

OpenAI Dots availability and pricing

Dots is rolling out in ChatGPT to Pro and Business Premium users in "eligible markets". Enterprise, Edu, and Healthcare customers can try a beta once their workspace admin enables it. Initially, Dot is included in these plans at no extra cost, with an allowance for deeper work and extended limits for the first month.

Setup starts in the ChatGPT desktop app or a desktop browser, where users connect apps and let the dot introduce itself. Mobile messaging is available after that.