OpenAI launches Dots to work on goals in the background
By Automate Basics, written with AI from TechCrunch's original
TechCrunch reports that OpenAI has launched Dots, personal agents designed to pursue goals in the background. Eligible ChatGPT Pro and Business Premium users can start with a primary Dot and contact it through workplace messaging tools.
What changed with OpenAI Dots
TechCrunch reports that OpenAI has launched Dots, personal agents powered by GPT-6 Astra. OpenAI says a Dot can keep working toward a goal set by its user without being tied to one device or interface. Users can start with a primary Dot, give it a name and contact it through Slack, Teams and other workplace platforms.
OpenAI presents Dots as a way to give an agent an ongoing responsibility rather than a single request. Its examples include watching customer feedback for issues that need attention and revisiting an analysis when new data arrives. Those are examples of intended use, not evidence that Dots will complete every such task reliably. OpenAI says text message support is planned, but is not available yet.
Who can use Dots, and what does it cost?
OpenAI says Dots are available in ChatGPT to Pro and Business Premium users in eligible markets. Users can launch a Dot from ChatGPT or Codex. The announcement, as reported by TechCrunch, does not identify the eligible markets or give a separate price for Dots, so readers should not assume access under other plans or in every location.
OpenAI also describes specialist Dots that could receive their own identities, credentials and tools through existing systems. It says it is working with Microsoft on support for Agent 365 security controls. The report does not establish when that integration will be ready. OpenAI's idea of multiple Dots working together is a future plan, not a feature to count on for today's work.
How do I try Dots at work?
A useful first assignment for a Dot would be to watch a stream of customer feedback and flag recurring problems for a person to assess. OpenAI gives customer feedback as an example of an ongoing task. Starting with a reviewable summary would let a team check whether the Dot has identified real issues before relying on it for changes to a product or process.
Compare its findings with the original feedback, look for missed or duplicated issues, and check whether each suggested action follows from the evidence. Agree within your team who will review the results and what the Dot should be responsible for. OpenAI describes Dots as able to act with limited oversight, which makes the scope of an assignment and human review especially important.
Frequently asked questions
Can I contact a Dot outside ChatGPT?
OpenAI says users can message Dots through Slack, Teams and other workplace platforms. Users can also launch them from ChatGPT or Codex. Text message support is planned, according to the announcement reported by TechCrunch, but the source does not say when it will arrive.
Are Dots available on every ChatGPT plan?
No. OpenAI says Dots are available to ChatGPT Pro and Business Premium users in eligible markets. The TechCrunch report does not list those markets or state a separate price for Dots. It also does not say whether access will expand to other plans.
Can several Dots work together on a task?
OpenAI describes teams of Dots working together as something it envisions for the future. For now, it says users can begin with a primary Dot. The source does not give a release date for coordinated teams, so do not plan a workflow around that capability yet.
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Written with AI from TechCrunch's original and published after automatic checks: every figure here appears in the original, and no sentence is copied from it. The picture is AI-generated. The original is the authority.
Source: OpenAI launches Dots, its bubbly agentic avatar, TechCrunch, 29 Sept 2026.