OpenAI dots: how an always-on AI agent keeps working after you close the chat

Description and use

<p>On 29 September 2026, at DevDay, OpenAI launched dots. A dot is a ChatGPT agent with its own cloud computer, and it keeps working after you close the chat. I spent today reading everything OpenAI published about them, and then I asked the question I always ask as an engineer: how would I build something like this myself?</p> <p>One thing first. I could not use a dot. They are a hosted feature on paid plans with no local version, so there was nothing for me to run or measure. Every statement about dots below comes from OpenAI's launch post, its safety post and two help pages, read on 4 Octob

Problem

<p>On 29 September 2026, at DevDay, OpenAI launched dots. A dot is a ChatGPT agent with its own cloud computer, and it keeps working after you close the chat. I spent today reading everything OpenAI published about them, and then I asked the question I always ask as an engineer: how would I build something like this myself?</p> <p>One thing first. I could not use a dot. They are a hosted feature on paid plans with no local version, so there was nothing for me to run or measure. Every statement about dots below comes from OpenAI's launch post, its safety post and two help pages, read on 4 Octob

Outcome

<p>On 29 September 2026, at DevDay, OpenAI launched dots. A dot is a ChatGPT agent with its own cloud computer, and it keeps working after you close the chat. I spent today reading everything OpenAI published about them, and then I asked the question I always ask as an engineer: how would I build something like this myself?</p> <p>One thing first. I could not use a dot. They are a hosted feature on paid plans with no local version, so there was nothing for me to run or measure. Every statement about dots below comes from OpenAI's launch post, its safety post and two help pages, read on 4 Octob

Evidence

OpenAI dots: how an always-on AI agent keeps working after you close the chat

Source