Meet Operator: The Advanced AI Tool That Can Make Purchases and Manage Expenses

OpenAI has introduced “Operator,” a new AI agent for executing online tasks autonomously, currently available for ChatGPT Pro users in the U.S.

Agencies Ghacks
Jan 24, 2025
Software
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OpenAI has unveiled "Operator," an advanced AI agent designed for autonomous online task execution, currently available as a research preview for ChatGPT Pro subscribers in the United States. This innovative tool represents a significant advance in AI capabilities, allowing users to delegate intricate online activities to a sophisticated AI system.

Unlike traditional AI models that depend heavily on pre-set APIs, Operator employs a "Computer-Using Agent" (CUA) model, combining the visual capabilities of GPT-4o and advanced reasoning through reinforcement learning. This design enables it to interpret screenshots and seamlessly perform tasks like typing, clicking, and scrolling, emulating human-like interactions with web interfaces.

Practical applications for Operator are diverse. The AI can autonomously carry out activities such as purchasing plane tickets, ordering groceries, and managing expense reports, tasks that until now necessitated human involvement. OpenAI is collaborating with several industry players including DoorDash, Uber, and StubHub to refine the functionalities of Operator while ensuring compliance with each company's service agreements.

To ensure responsible usage, OpenAI implements several safety protocols within Operator. The system is designed to self-correct and revert control back to users if it encounters challenges, particularly during critical tasks involving sensitive data. Importantly, the agent will require user approval before executing significant actions, creating a balance between autonomy and oversight.

The introduction of Operator positions OpenAI firmly within a competitive landscape of AI agents, particularly as industry counterparts like Anthropic also venture into autonomous solutions. As the market shifts toward more capable AI that enhances user convenience, Operator stands to become an essential tool for both individuals and businesses aiming to streamline their online engagements. Plans are in place to broaden access to Operator across additional user tiers, increasing its potential impact in the realm of online productivity.

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Comments

  1. John C. said on January 27, 2025 at 1:07 pm
    Reply

    Only a complete idiot would ever use such a thing. But then, idiocy does seem to prevail in modern society.

  2. Graham said on January 26, 2025 at 1:08 pm
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    This is symptomatic of a world that already relies too much on computers. Already it is difficult to speak to a human and where machines make decisions that often end up to be wrong. Or where it is impossible to submit your complaint, because it does not exist within a set of stock answers. Companies absolve themselves of responsibility for things they don’t want to address.
    For example Aldi supermarket block all complaints by deciding such things do not exist.
    We need to get back to more human interaction.
    Humanity is making a rod for its own back, and there will be consequences.

  3. Dave Smyth said on January 25, 2025 at 11:06 pm
    Reply

    Can we stop just publishing these AI press releases without any meaingful analysis. e.g. reports from people who have actually had a chance to use these agents indicate that their real-world usefulness in now way matches the (even fairly limited) promises stated in this article.

  4. No Thanks, CIA said on January 25, 2025 at 9:12 pm
    Reply

    Cool spyware, bro.

  5. jimbobillyjoe said on January 25, 2025 at 4:14 am
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    Plane tickets! PLANE TICKETS!! HOLY CRAP IT CAN BUY PLANE TICKETS!!!!

    Why does every “smart” everything brag about being able to buy plane tickets for you? Who are you people that need so many plane tickets?

    If I bought in to all this marketing, I would develop the opinion that there is a large segment of humanity that spends most of their daily routine buying plane tickets. Thank the Internet Gods that computers have advanced to the point of alleviating you poor souls of this horrible burden

  6. boris said on January 24, 2025 at 8:16 pm
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    I am pretty sure that this is a great opportunity for a lot of websites to imitate traffic to fool analytics companies and advertisers. Just order thousands of bots that are indistinguishable from humans to mess with analytic cookies. And no programming experience needed.

    But those who are going to use it as intended are going to lose IQ points really fast. AI agent that makes all decision for you will never be net positive for society. And most people will spend saved time to flip through AI generated content on Instagram or TikTok. Perfect circle of degeneration if you have money. And they will not have money for long because somebody will make a program to fool AI Agent and people will be too dumb to catch it. They are too dumb right now: around 30k romance scams per year in US alone just with using Photoshop.

  7. Seeprime said on January 24, 2025 at 3:39 pm
    Reply

    Looks like an effective way to scam Social Security after someone passes. I’ll let my wife know!

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