OpenAI’s New ChatGPT Agent Aims Big—But Still Struggles with the Basics
OpenAI’s New AI Agent Promises Automation—But Can It Even Order Cupcakes?
OpenAI just introduced its latest experiment in task automation: ChatGPT Agent, an AI tool designed to take real actions on your behalf—like scheduling meetings, ordering groceries, or planning trips. But here’s the catch: in its current state, the agent struggles with even the simplest errands, like ordering cupcakes… in under an hour.
In other words, OpenAI’s futuristic AI assistant is here—but it’s still learning how to walk before it can run.
Let’s break down what this “agent” actually is, why it matters, and what its rocky debut tells us about the future of AI-powered automation.
What Is ChatGPT Agent?
Think of ChatGPT Agent as your AI-powered digital assistant on steroids. It merges two earlier OpenAI tools—Operator, which handled web tasks like shopping or scheduling, and Deep Research, which could perform multi-step research and generate reports—into one unified experience inside ChatGPT.
Here’s what it says it can do:
Check your calendar and prep you for the day
Automatically buy ingredients for breakfast
Research your competitors and create a slide deck
Plan a full MLB stadium road trip (or at least try to)
It runs on a “virtual computer,” meaning it operates within a safe, sandboxed environment rather than interacting with your device or browser directly. That’s a good safety feature—but also part of the reason it’s so slow and sometimes unreliable.
But There’s a Big Limitation: You Still Have to Babysit It
Despite the promise of autonomy, ChatGPT Agent still requires human approval before doing anything meaningful. Whether it’s purchasing a flight, entering login credentials, or making a payment, you—the user—must step in and confirm.
This cautious design choice is smart from a safety standpoint. AI models are still prone to prompt injection attacks, misreading context, or plain old blunders. You wouldn’t want the bot to accidentally buy a plane ticket to the wrong city or send money to a malicious site, right?
But here’s the problem: the need for human oversight kind of defeats the whole idea of full automation.
A “Helper” That Still Needs a Lot of Help
One telling example? It took the agent nearly an hour to order cupcakes, according to project lead Isa Fulford. Why? Because despite all the backend intelligence, navigating real-world websites is still a clunky, trial-and-error process for AI.
And that trip-planning demo OpenAI showed off? It included a stop for a baseball game in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. Not exactly MVP material.
To make matters worse, the company didn’t acknowledge any of these errors in their demo—leaving many wondering if OpenAI is overselling a tool that clearly needs more time in the oven.
Why This Still Matters (Even If It’s Flawed)
Yes, ChatGPT Agent is far from perfect—but it’s still a major step toward general-purpose AI assistants that can handle real-world tasks end-to-end.
Here’s why this release is significant:
It signals OpenAI’s long-term goal: Think Siri or Alexa, but smarter and truly useful.
It pushes the boundaries of multi-modal AI: Combining planning, execution, research, and interactivity in one tool.
It continues the trend toward AI agents, like Google’s Project Astra or Adept’s ACT-1, where models act rather than just respond.
Even if the execution isn’t flawless, the direction is clear: AI that doesn’t just give answers—but gets things done.
Who Gets to Try It?
OpenAI is releasing ChatGPT Agent first to Pro subscribers with a cap of 400 prompts per month. Soon, Plus and Team users will get access, though they’ll be limited to just 40 prompts. No word yet on when (or if) free users will get a taste.
Final Thoughts: A Cautious First Step Toward AI Autonomy
While OpenAI’s Agent isn’t quite ready to be your full-time personal assistant, it’s an intriguing glimpse of what AI could soon become—if the kinks can be worked out.
Between safety limits, laughable planning mistakes, and sluggish performance, it’s clear the tech isn’t there yet. But it’s coming. And when it finally works the way it’s meant to, it could transform how we interact with the digital world.
What Do You Think?
Would you trust an AI agent to handle your daily tasks—even if it means watching over it like a toddler? Or would you rather do it yourself, at least for now?
Drop your thoughts below or share this story with a friend who’s always wanted a digital assistant that actually works.
