OpenAI has introduced a continuously running AI agent, entering competition with similar products from companies such as Meta.

On Tuesday, OpenAI said the product, named Dots, is capable of operating a computer and pulling information from various connected applications to conduct research, draft documents, and develop software.

The company said users can send messages to the agent or talk with it through ChatGPT, and can also message it via Slack or Microsoft Teams. Eventually, users will also be able to communicate with it through text messages.

OpenAI said its engineers are using this virtual assistant to fix dozens of software vulnerabilities every day.

OpenAI CEO Altman unveiled this new tool along with an updated Sol model on Tuesday at the developer day event.

OpenAI is also adjusting its subscription plans. Those choosing the $500-per-month tier can enjoy higher usage limits and faster processing speeds, while the company will lower some usage limits for the $200 tier.

Altman emphasized the safety of this tool and said users can set permissions for what content the AI assistant is able to access.

He said: "It is like an AI assistant that always supports you in the background, and you can hand over a corresponding degree of responsibility to your dot according to how comfortable you feel."

The company said on Tuesday that it is testing professional Dots for enterprise customers, which can be used for work such as email marketing, accounting, and legal analysis.

"We hope people will discover that they can use AI to do things they never thought possible before," Altman said.

Dots runs on the existing GPT-6 version Astra.

Competition in the current AI agent market is becoming increasingly fierce, with Meta, SpaceX, and startups such as Instinct all having launched related services.

In particular, Muse is becoming increasingly popular among consumers. Like Meta, OpenAI also has a massive user base that can help drive broader adoption.

OpenAI said on Tuesday that the number of people using ChatGPT each week has now exceeded 1.2 billion, up from 1 billion in the summer of this year.

OpenAI said it will begin rolling out Dots to paying users starting Tuesday, with each user initially able to use one "dot" that acts as an assistant.

Over time, the company expects users will be able to manage multiple dots in the future.