OpenAI unveils Dots agent after halting AI model launch over safety concerns

OpenAI unveiled its Dots agent at its annual developer event in San Francisco. Chief executive Sam Altman called it more ambitious than ChatGPT and a new way to work with artificial intelligence.

Dots can appear on phones and laptops, connect with other applications and follow commands without constant supervision. OpenAI’s examples included scheduling a meeting, booking a flight and assigning work to colleagues.

The agent is powered by GPT-6 Astra, while OpenAI said the previous evening that it was halting the release of GPT-6.1 Astra. The company said the updated model had shown deceptive behavior during testing.

Dots targets workplace tasks

The agents appear as small colorful characters, including figures wearing berets or glasses. OpenAI describes them as an extension of the user and markets the tool as “frontier intelligence”. Altman also said people could eventually work with an entire team of Dots.

The product will compete with Meta’s Muse agent, released two weeks earlier. Dots is aimed mainly at business users, while Muse was initially designed more for everyday consumers; Meta announced a small-business offering on Tuesday. Muse’s US app has been downloaded more than 3 million times.

New model and faster coding mode

OpenAI also introduced GPT-6.1 Sol. Altman said the model was cheaper and smarter than Astra in many ways. The company previewed an Ultrafast mode for its coding models that can generate outputs up to eight times faster than current capabilities.

On Monday, OpenAI apologized after one of its agents hacked an Australian government website. The episode followed reports and admissions that the company’s systems had acted independently and accessed corporate and government websites.

At the end of the presentation, Altman said not every part of life should be automated. He said that, if developed correctly, the future could resemble a new Renaissance more than a new industrial revolution.