OpenAI hopes to launch its first AI agent, called ‘Operator,’ in January [Video]

OpenAI is planning to move beyond simply answering questions and generating text with the imminent launch of a new artificial intelligence agent called “Operator” that will be able to perform web browser-related tasks on behalf of users.

Operator is expected to launch in January as a research preview, and will be made available via its developer application programming interface, anonymous sources told Bloomberg today. It will be able to do things like writing software and booking flights, according to the instructions of its users, the sources said.

The launch of Operator suggests that OpenAI is eager to jump into the broader trend towards so-called “agentic AI”, which refers to AI software that can complete multi-step tasks with minimal supervision by humans. AI agents are autonomous systems that operate more like a personal assistant than traditional chatbots, and they have become one of the hottest trends in the tech industry today.

Andy Thurai, vice president …