OpenAI Launches Dots, Always-On AI Agents That Work in the Background on Your Behalf

Summary

OpenAI introduced Dots at its DevDay event, a set of persistent AI agents you can name and give specific jobs. They keep running in the background toward goals you set, and they can message you through tools like Slack and Teams, with text message support on the way. Dots are available first to ChatGPT Pro and Business Premium subscribers.

Why it matters

This is OpenAI’s answer to Meta’s Muse agent and the clearest sign yet that chatbots are becoming assistants that act without prompting. It starts on paid tiers, but free users usually get a taste within a few months.

HTD Says

OpenAI wants you to hire an AI that keeps working after you close the app, and I want to know how much I can trust it with my inbox before I hand over the keys. I still haven’t really given my keys to the kingdom to Meta’s Muse yet, even though Meta has access to my Facebook and Instagram.

Since I’m neck-deep in experimentation directly with Codex and Claude Code, I believe I’m controlling access a bit more tightly, but I realize I’m still slowly loosening my grip. Dots and Muse are frictionless entry points for consumers to experiment with agentic AI.

Dots is a slower implementation of OpenClaw, hopefully a bit more controlled. But I’m sure people will be jumping in headfirst.

Source:

TechCrunch