ChatGPT Agent is taking on real tasks and the internet is freaking out

Unlike regular ChatGPT, which stops at suggestions, ChatGPT Agent blends research and execution. Here’s what people are using their Agents for.

It’s been less than a week since OpenAI dropped ChatGPT Agent, which can do real tasks for you and the users are both impressed and a little creeped out by what this tool can do.

ChatGPT Agent brings AI closer to our everyday lives by not just helping with emails or essays, but executing real tasks. (Unsplash)

By Aishwarya Faraswal

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If you are not aware of this new feature yet, let us break it down for you.

A ChatGPT Agent is like your personal AI assistant that can do things for you. Yes, it not just talks or answers questions, its more it like a mini AI worker or helper bot you can assign specific tasks. You tell it what it should do, and it follows instructions automatically, like booking tickets, organising files, summarising emails, planning your trip or even helping with coding.

How does ChatGPT Agent operate

It operates a virtual browser inside your browser. That means it clicks links, types in fields and navigates the web in real-time just like a human. A user asked it to buy a houseplant under $30 with same-day delivery. The Agent sifted through options, completed the checkout process and emailed the confirmation within minutes.

It’s also smart enough to check itself. When given vague instructions, it pauses and asks for clarity instead of running with assumptions. And unlike older AI tools, the Agent explains its logic as it works, comparing price-per-serving across snack boxes or weighing travel options based on user preferences.

But it’s not without glitches. As some early testers pointed out, the Agent sometimes misclicks or struggles with complex web interactions. A journalist from Wired tried using five different Agents simultaneously. One attempted to play chess on Chess.com but couldn’t move pieces properly. Another spent 26 minutes creating a pitch deck that looked rushed and unpolished. Despite its autonomy, the Agent’s performance in real-time tasks sometimes feels more like a ghost fumbling through human behaviour than a flawless assistant.

Still, the vision is bold as multiple AI agents are handling tasks in parallel, running errands online while you focus elsewhere. If you want to plan a movie night, shop for gifts, or coordinate a weekend trip, ChatGPT Agent is positioned to help, and there’s no need to toggle or switch between tools.

Who gets access to ChatGPT Agent?

ChatGPT Agents are only available to Plus and Pro users. If you’re on the free plan (GPT-3.5), you won’t be able to create or use them. But once you upgrade to ChatGPT Plus, you unlock GPT-4, gain access to advanced tools and can start building or exploring Agents right away.

Well, we’ve all been using ChatGPT to generate content, create images or get insights from text, pictures and even videos. But few of us imagined it could go beyond that, until now.

Turns out, ChatGPT Agents are exactly what people needed, even if they didn’t see it coming.