San Francisco: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Tuesday unveiled a new generation of artificial intelligence agents called Dots, designed to run continuously and handle tasks on behalf of users, as the company seeks to transform ChatGPT into a platform for AI-powered applications.

Described as “remarkably capable, always-on,” the agents are designed to proactively manage tasks such as organising calendars, booking reservations and sorting through emails. They will ask users for approval before carrying out sensitive actions.

The announcement came at OpenAI's annual developer conference in San Francisco, where the company also introduced a new, less expensive AI model and outlined plans to allow third-party companies to offer their software directly through ChatGPT.

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ChatGPT, which has 1.2 billion weekly users, is increasingly being positioned as an app store for AI services. Companies such as Adobe will be able to make their software available within the platform, while users will also be able to access their subscriptions across other applications.

"We want to help people discover what you build and connect you with new customers," Altman told around 2,500 developers gathered for the event on the shores of San Francisco Bay.

Dots: OpenAI's always-on AI assistants

The new Dots are designed to function as persistent AI assistants capable of carrying out ongoing tasks without requiring users to initiate every step.

Altman described them as a new kind of digital companion.

Dot agents will be “like an AI helper that always has your back, inspired by the cool versions of what we all watched in movies growing up," Altman said.

The agents will initially be available only to paid subscribers. Users in the European Union, Switzerland and the United Kingdom will not have access to them at launch because of regulatory restrictions. OpenAI said it hoped to resolve those issues.

Dots will compete with personal AI agents such as Meta's Muse and Google's Spark.

Meta unveiled a small, Tamagotchi-like device powered by Muse last week, with the product potentially set to ship by December.

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OpenAI is also developing its own AI hardware but did not provide an update on the project.

Asked about the possibility of integrating Dots into a dedicated device, Altman said, "seems like a very reasonable thing to assume we may do someday."

OpenAI unveils cheaper AI model after shelving another release

Alongside the new agents, OpenAI announced GPT-6.1 Sol, which it described as nearly as capable as GPT-6 Astra at one-fifth of the price.

The company also introduced a premium speed tier called "Ultrafast" and announced other product updates.

The launch followed OpenAI's decision on Monday to shelve a new version of its Astra model after researchers found that it frequently ignored instructions.

The company had also suspended development of some models on Friday following security incidents, including an instance in which an AI agent gained unauthorised access to the internet.

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Altman did not address the incidents during his keynote speech but acknowledged the challenges of keeping safeguards ahead of rapidly advancing AI capabilities.

Altman told reporters that "it is going to take us some time to figure out how to make sure that alignment, monitoring, safety, security stay well ahead of capabilities."

During a question-and-answer session, he said the company was increasing investment in safety, security and monitoring of AI agents.

Altman calls for an AI 'Renaissance'

Altman rejected comparisons between the AI boom and the Industrial Revolution, arguing that the technology should instead usher in a new period of creativity and human empowerment.

"I think we should learn from the mistakes of the Industrial Revolution, and I think we should be more like the Renaissance," Altman said.

He also cautioned against a future in which AI reduces people to components of an increasingly automated system.

“The best version of AI is not about making people cogs in a giant machine, ever whirring faster and faster. There are some parts of life that we cannot and should not automate,” Altman said. “AI should be about giving people more power over their own lives, more tools to create, learn, discover, expand knowledge.”

Outside the conference, around 30 protesters chanted slogans including "put people before profit" and called on OpenAI to end its contracts with the US military and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Safety concerns mount as OpenAI faces financial pressure

The product announcements come amid growing debate over the pace of AI development and the need for stronger safeguards.

OpenAI's announcements also coincided with a White House meeting where executives from leading AI companies, including OpenAI, agreed to a voluntary framework for safety oversight under US President Donald Trump.

The agreement calls for companies to establish "robust internal controls", work with an "independent external auditor" to assess those controls and create board-level committees to review findings from internal and external evaluations.

OpenAI President and co-founder Greg Brockman attended the White House meeting, alongside executives from other major technology companies.

While several technology leaders have called for government involvement in establishing AI safeguards, Trump has opposed greater government oversight of the industry.

Altman said OpenAI was investing more in safety and monitoring to allow it to continue advancing its models.

"investing more in safety, security, alignment, monitoring, and that will allow us to continue to progress model capability a lot."

OpenAI's IPO plans and competition with Anthropic

The company is also facing growing competition from Anthropic, which overtook OpenAI in second-quarter revenue, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Anthropic reported $11.6 billion in revenue, compared with OpenAI's $6.7 billion, the newspaper reported.

Anthropic's annual recurring revenue is expected to reach $100 billion by the end of the year, while OpenAI's figure stood at $70 billion in July, according to various reports.

OpenAI has delayed its potential stock market debut until next year at the earliest, while Anthropic is reportedly targeting November for its own public listing.

"I want OpenAI to be a public company someday," Altman said, "but I don't want to put additional pressure right now."

OpenAI is seeking to raise at least $30 billion from private investors in a deal that could value the company at around $1.4 trillion, up from $852 billion in March, according to Bloomberg.

As OpenAI expands its AI ecosystem through Dots and third-party applications, the company faces the dual challenge of growing its business while ensuring that increasingly autonomous systems remain safe and reliable.