In brief
- OpenAI launched workspace agents for ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, Edu, and Teachers plans.
- The agents can run multi-step tasks in the cloud, integrate with apps, and work in Slack.
- The feature is free in research preview until May 6, when credit-based pricing begins.
OpenAI is pushing ChatGPT beyond the chat box with the launch of “workspace agents,” a new feature that lets businesses automate recurring tasks even when employees are offline.
Announced on Wednesday, OpenAI said in a post that, unlike the custom GPTs users have built in the past, workspace agents are powered by OpenAI’s Codex model and run as persistent assistants that can connect to external apps, retain information across projects, and complete multi-step workflows without repeated prompts.
“Workspace agents are an evolution of GPTs. Powered by Codex, they can take on many of the tasks people already do at work—from preparing reports, to writing code, to responding to messages,” OpenAI said. “They run in the cloud, so they can keep working even when you’re not. They’re also designed to be shared within an organization, so teams can build an agent once, use it together in ChatGPT or Slack, and improve it over time.”
According to OpenAI, users can create an AI agent from a new tab in ChatGPT by describing a desired workflow. ChatGPT then helps map the process, connect tools, and test the new agent. Once active, the agents can run on schedules or respond to specific triggers.
“AI has already helped people work faster on their own, but many of the most important workflows inside an organization depend on shared context, handoffs, and decisions across teams,” OpenAI said in a statement. “Workspace agents are designed for that kind of work: they can gather context from the right systems, follow team processes, ask for approval when needed, and keep work moving across tools.”
The new feature comes as the race to develop agentic AI enters a new and heavily funded phase, with tech giants including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon investing billions to build autonomous systems capable of completing tasks with limited human oversight.
As experts continue to warn about the dangers of prompt injection and other cybersecurity threats, OpenAI said companies can limit what data and tools the agents can access, require human approval for sensitive actions, and monitor for prompt injection attacks.
Workspace agents are available now in research preview for ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, Edu, and Teachers plans. OpenAI said the feature will remain free until May 6, 2026, before moving to a credit-based pricing model.
While OpenAI said its own teams are already using the technology, the company emphasized that GPTs will remain available, adding that “we’ll make it easy to convert GPTs into workspace agents.”
OpenAI did not immediately respond to Decrypt’s request for comment.
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