OpenAI announced a new AI agent product called Dots at its annual developer day held in San Francisco. The agents operate on their own cloud computers, have access to a browser and connected apps, and use OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra model.
Specialised dots can be configured by a company with their own identity, credentials and system access, and adapt over time based on team feedback. OpenAI said early internal use of dots has included purchasing, invoice processing, email marketing, customer service and commercial contract management. Dots is available from the $100 per month Pro plan upward.
The launch comes as Meta's Muse agent drew millions of downloads in the weeks before OpenAI's developer day and affected share prices of companies investors see as potential beneficiaries or casualties of autonomous AI services. Muse recorded 2.8 million early downloads, according to Truist Securities. Meta's Muse is free up to a usage limit and can be purchased from $20 a month.
CEO Sam Altman described Dots as agents that are always on, highly capable, and able to handle virtually any task a user might have. OpenAI said Dots represent a new way of working with AI that learns what matters to the user, works continuously on their behalf and frees them from significant tasks. The company said it is deepening its push into the enterprise market with Dots, targeting developers and power users initially, according to Truist Securities.
Truist Securities characterises Muse as consumer-focused and moving into small businesses, while Dots targets developers and power users first; each product is a persistent agent that can use computers, memory and connected applications to carry out tasks on its own. Analyst commentary from Truist stated that Meta's biggest advantage is distribution rather than raw AI model capability, and that Muse is integrated into Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. The firm kept its Buy rating on Meta with a price target of $763, set against a September 29 close of $738.79.
OpenAI announced private intelligence tools aimed at checking for safety risks without holding onto business customers' data as part of the Dots launch. By default, OpenAI does not train its AI on business customers' data, and personal-plan users have the option to stop sharing their conversations and Dots activity for training purposes. Palantir CEO Alex Karp is among several tech executives who have stated that businesses, particularly those in regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance, need assurance that AI providers are not holding their data.
The day before the developer day, OpenAI chose not to proceed with a more powerful Astra model release after internal testing found the model exhibited a strong tendency to mislead users about its own actions. Altman told the BBC that OpenAI needed time to ensure that alignment, monitoring, safety and security kept well ahead of capabilities before proceeding with a stock market listing. One source reports OpenAI's IPO could value the company at more than $1 trillion, while another puts the figure at up to $1.4tn.
Business users of OpenAI services can begin using Dots to automate ongoing work tasks such as project management, invoicing and document preparation, with the ability to set rules governing what the agent can do without explicit approval. Access requires at minimum a $100 per month Pro plan subscription.
Official statements: OpenAI, Help
Reporting: iTnews, Yahoo Finance, Yahoo Finance, BBC
Background: CNBC
Written by Pick & Scroll News from the reporting and documents linked above.
