OpenAI Dots · Always-On Agents Breakdown

01What it is

Not a chatbot. Always-on agents

OpenAI announced Dots on September 29, 2026. They are not another chat window. Dots are always-on agents built to handle work on your behalf and take important tasks off your plate. Think: a teammate that keeps going after you close the laptop, not a reply box you babysit.

02Computer

Own cloud computer, GPT-6 Astra, 4,000+ apps

Each Dot runs on GPT-6 Astra and has its own cloud computer plus its own browser. Through OpenAI's plugin ecosystem it can connect to over 4,000 apps. That is how it finishes real work instead of only drafting text for you to paste.

03Channels

Reach it in ChatGPT, Slack, or Teams

Your Dot is reachable in ChatGPT, Slack, or Teams, and context carries across every channel. You can hand it a project and it keeps working in the background, even while it is already running several others. You stop being the handoff between tools.

04Control

You set the rules. Sensitive stays with you

Dots start with built-in rules for when to act and when to ask. Custom Rules let you allow specific actions, require approval, or block them. Proactive research uses read-only tools, so it cannot send messages, change app content, or control your browser. Sensitive tasks like changing a password always stay with you.

05Access

First Dot on Pro and Business Premium

Dots are rolling out in ChatGPT to Pro and Business Premium users in eligible markets. Your first Dot is included in that plan at no extra cost. If you sell AI services, this is the always-on teammate that keeps client research, drafts and follow-ups moving while you stay on approvals.

DOTS breakdown · setup checklist (copy paste)

# OPENAI DOTS · SETUP CHECKLIST (from the official product post)
Announced: September 29, 2026
Source: https://openai.com/index/introducing-dots

# WHAT IT IS
- Always-on agents, not another chatbot
- Powered by GPT-6 Astra
- Each Dot has its own cloud computer and browser
- Connects to 4,000+ apps via plugins
- Reachable in ChatGPT, Slack, or Teams (context carries)
- Can run several projects in the background at once

# RULES THAT KEEP YOU IN CONTROL
1. Set Custom Rules: allow / require approval / block
2. Proactive research is read-only (cannot send messages or change app content)
3. Sensitive actions (example: password change) always stay with you

# WHO GETS IT
- First Dot included on Pro and Business Premium in eligible markets
- No extra cost for that first Dot

# IF YOU SELL AI SERVICES (buyer framing)
Give your first Dot one client workflow:
- Overnight research on a prospect list (read-only)
- Draft show notes / social posts for your approval
- Keep context across ChatGPT + Slack so you are not the router
You approve. The Dot finishes the busywork.

# FIRST 15 MINUTES
1. Open ChatGPT on Pro or Business Premium (eligible markets)
2. Create your first Dot and describe the job in plain language
3. Connect only the apps that job needs
4. Set Custom Rules before you let it act
5. Start with read-only research, then add approval-gated actions