OpenAI Launches Workspace Agents Feature in ChatGPT

OpenAI is pushing ChatGPT beyond the chat box with the launch of “workspace agents,” a new feature that allows companies to automate repetitive tasks even when employees are offline.

OpenAI announced this on Wednesday in a after that, unlike the custom GPTs that 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 about projects, and complete multi-step workflows without repeated prompts.

“Workspace agents are an evolution of GPTs. Powered by Codex, they can perform many of the tasks people already do at work – from preparing reports to writing code and 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 across 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 operate on schedules or respond to specific triggers.

“AI has already helped people work independently faster, but many of the most important workflows within an organization rely on shared context, handoffs and decisions between teams,” OpenAI said in a statement. “Workspace agents are designed for that kind of work: they can gather context from the right systems, track team processes, request approval when needed, and keep work moving through various tools.”

The new feature comes as the race to develop agentic AI enters a new and heavily funded phase, with tech giants like Google, Microsoft and Amazon investing billions to build autonomous systems that can complete tasks with limited human supervision.

As experts continue to warn about the dangers of rapid injection and other cybersecurity threats, OpenAI says companies can limit what data and tools agents can access, require human approval for sensitive actions, and monitor for rapid injection attacks.

Workspace agents are now available 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 will make it easy to turn GPTs into workspace agents.”

OpenAI did not immediately respond Declutter‘s request for comment.