🔍 Read the full analysis: What OpenAI Announced At Dev Day 2026—And Why It Matters on ThorstenMeyerAI.com
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TL;DR
At its Sept. 29 DevDay, OpenAI announced more than 20 products and features, including persistent Dots agents, expanded plugins, a Decisions API and computer use in its Agents API. The announcements position ChatGPT as a platform where people and agents can find and use software, though access, pricing and rollout details vary by product.
OpenAI announced more than 20 products and features at its Sept. 29 DevDay, including persistent agents called Dots, expanded ChatGPT plugins and new developer APIs. The company is pitching ChatGPT as a shared platform for people and agents, a shift that could change how software makers reach customers and automate work.
Dots are persistent agents powered by GPT-6 Astra, according to OpenAI. Each gets a cloud computer and browser and can connect to more than 4,000 apps through plugins. Users can reach Dots in ChatGPT on desktop, web and mobile, as well as Slack and Teams. Voice calls are available, while text messaging is planned. OpenAI says the first Dot is included for eligible Pro and Business Premium users in supported markets; Enterprise, Edu and Healthcare customers can access a beta when an administrator enables it.
OpenAI also expanded plugins, which can bundle skills, connections to external services through MCP servers and optional user interfaces. New plugin extensions can appear in ChatGPT’s sidebar and show interactive panels or file viewers. The company introduced a creator and submission flow, improved discovery, Sites for shared use in some organizational plans, and support for MCP events that can trigger automations. The OpenAI Marketplace is launching with 32 partners, including Figma, Adobe, Salesforce and ServiceNow.
For developers, the Decisions API uses GPT-6 Luna to choose among answers from a finite list specified by the developer. OpenAI says it is in limited preview, with a broader release described as forthcoming, but the source material does not provide a date. The Agents API now supports computer use, allowing agents to operate software through its interface; OpenAI says it will run the Codex harness. Sign in with ChatGPT is also available to 16 launch partners, letting users bring an existing plan to those services.
OpenAI DevDay 2026 at a glance
The five launches that matter, plus Sol
The rest of the slate
Collaboration
ChatGPT SpacelivePagesliveCollaborative slidesnext few weeksTeams and Team Taskslive@ChatGPT in Slack and TeamsliveMeetings pluginbeta, macOSShareable profilesliveCodex
Codex CloudliveCLI refreshvoice, /agentsCode ReviewliveCodex Security CloudlivePlans, enterprise, speed
Pro 500$500, 25× PlusUltrafastAstra now, Sol soonPrivate IntelligencePrivate Inference this fallBedrock Managed Agentsruns in AWSOpenAI Marketplace32 partners, applyHow ChatGPT Could Route Software Work
The announcements connect ChatGPT’s large user base to tools that can act on a user’s behalf. OpenAI says ChatGPT reaches 1.2 billion weekly users; that figure describes the service’s reported reach, not the number of people using Dots or plugins. If customers increasingly describe a desired outcome instead of choosing an app first, plugin selection and successful task completion could become important ways for software companies to win work.
For organizations, persistent agents could handle recurring tasks across connected systems, while computer use could extend automation to software without a direct integration. That may save time on routine work, but it also raises practical questions about permissions, oversight and reliability. OpenAI says Dots can make mistakes and provides approval controls, activity monitoring and the ability to pause or stop them.
From ChatGPT to Agent Platform
OpenAI’s DevDay announcements build on a shift from conversational tools toward agents that can carry out tasks. The company described ChatGPT as a shared surface for people and agents, with plugins acting as a route to external services. Under the announced design, users choose plugins and approve their access, while developers publish a plugin for discovery across the supported ecosystem.
OpenAI presented Dots as a consumer-facing version of persistent agents and specialist Dots as an enterprise offering with separate identities, credentials and IT-provisioned hardware. The company says initial enterprise pilots cover procurement, invoice processing, email marketing, customer support and commercial contracting. It also plans an integration with Microsoft Agent 365 for governance. Separately, OpenAI announced GPT-6.1 Sol, which it described as offering near-Astra intelligence at one-fifth of Astra’s token prices; this is a company characterization, and the supplied material does not include benchmark results.
Rollout, Controls and Performance
Availability differs by product and customer type. Dots are limited to eligible plans and markets, while some organizational access requires an administrator to enable a beta. The Decisions API is in limited preview, and its broader release timing is unspecified in the supplied material. OpenAI has not provided complete details here on future Dot pricing for additional agents or extra speed and monthly output.
The announcement material also does not establish how reliably agents will complete tasks across different apps, how GPT-6.1 Sol performs against named benchmarks, or how many users will adopt these features. OpenAI’s examples of completed work are company-provided illustrations, not independent evaluations.
Previews and Enterprise Pilots
Developers can begin working with the available plugin tools and launch-partner integrations, while access to the Decisions API depends on its limited-preview program. OpenAI says enterprise pilots for specialist Dots are starting in several business functions and plans a Microsoft Agent 365 governance integration. The company has not supplied dates for a general release of the Decisions API or all staged features, so availability updates will be the next concrete milestones to watch.
Key Questions
What are OpenAI Dots?
Dots are persistent agents powered by GPT-6 Astra, each with a cloud computer and browser. They can connect to more than 4,000 apps through plugins and work on tasks over time.
Who can use Dots?
OpenAI says Dots are available to Pro and Business Premium users in eligible markets. Enterprise, Edu and Healthcare customers can use a beta when an administrator enables it.
What does the Decisions API do?
It uses GPT-6 Luna to select from a finite set of answers defined by a developer, using text or images as context. OpenAI says it is in limited preview.
What changed for ChatGPT plugins?
Plugins can now include sidebar extensions, interactive panels and file viewers. OpenAI also announced a new creator and submission flow, improved discovery, shared Sites for some organizations and MCP events that can trigger automations.
Can agents operate software directly?
OpenAI says its Agents API now supports computer use, allowing agents to operate software through its interface. The company says it runs the Codex harness for this capability.
Source: ThorstenMeyerAI.com
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