OpenAI Launches Personal Assistant Capable of Controlling Files and Web Browsers

Excerpt from The Guardian

AI agent can find restaurant reservations and go shopping for users, but OpenAI acknowledges there are ‘more risks’

Users of ChatGPT will be able to ask an AI agent to find restaurant reservations, go shopping for them and even draw up lists of candidates for job vacancies, as the chatbot gains the powers of a personal assistant from Thursday.

ChatGPT agent, launched by Open AI everywhere apart from the EU, not only “thinks” but also acts, the US company said. The agent combines the powers of AI research tools with the ability to take control of web browsers, computer files and software such as spreadsheets and slide decks.

It follows the launch of similar “agents” by Google and Anthropic as interest grows in AI models that can handle computer-based tasks by judging which software is best to use and toggling between systems to autonomously complete assignments like drafting travel itineraries or carrying out work research.

“The hope is that agents are able to bring some real utility to users – to actually do things for them rather than just outputting polished text and sounding impressive,” said Niamh Burns, senior media analyst at Enders Analysis.

But Open AI has acknowledged that allowing an AI agent even limited reign over computer systems meant that “with this model there are more risks than with previous models”.

While it is intended to help people with everyday tasks, its potential power means OpenAI has felt the need to introduce safeguards to ensure no agents enable the creation of biological hazards.

“While we don’t have definitive evidence that the model could meaningfully help a novice create severe biological harm,” the company said, “we are exercising caution and implementing the needed safeguards now.”