OpenAI’s recently released ChatGPT agent expands the role of its artificial intelligence from conversational support to autonomous task execution. The system can interact with websites, write and run code, complete forms and perform multi-step actions on a virtual computer with limited human involvement.
The rollout highlights a broader shift in enterprise AI adoption. Instead of tools that require prompt-by-prompt input, companies are now evaluating systems that can act with partial or full autonomy. IBM researchers say this creates new opportunities for efficiency but also raises questions around oversight, system reliability and security. As businesses consider deployment, key decisions will hinge on task criticality, acceptable risk and the level of control organizations are willing to delegate to AI systems.
“At the simplest level, what OpenAI has released is an agent framework that has many more degrees of freedom than previous agentic capabilities,” Gabe Goodhart, Chief Architect for AI Open Innovation at IBM, told IBM Think in an interview. “[This allows] the system to accomplish tasks that require more complicated planning and a wider range of capabilities to complete.”
The technology builds on OpenAI’s earlier tools, such as Operator, which enables AI systems to control computers and web browsers. The new agent platform combines multiple tools into a single interface that allows for planning and executing multi-step tasks iteratively.
The agent scored 41.6% on what’s been called “humanity’s last exam” and 27.4% on a math test called Frontier Math. While those numbers suggest strong capabilities, they also highlight that these systems still make mistakes.
“With degrees of freedom comes also degrees of risk,” Goodhart said. The increased autonomy means moving into what he calls “probabilistic computing rather than deterministic computing.” Unlike traditional software that executes the same instructions every time, AI agents operate on a “best effort” basis.
OpenAI’s focus on individual users stands in contrast to the enterprise-first approach taken by other providers, who have built their systems with corporate security, governance and control in mind from the start. ChatGPT agent targets individual users and personal tasks, but business customers want different things: higher accuracy and tighter control. IBM’s watsonx Orchestrate promises more robust enterprise integration and on-premises deployment to keep corporate data secure.
The release also sharpened the industry conversation around personal versus enterprise agents. OpenAI’s design assumes a single user can act across tools and data without guardrails—an approach that poses significant risks inside corporate environments. IBM’s watsonx Orchestrate, by contrast, was built from the ground up for governed collaboration, shared workflows and secure coordination across teams.
The ChatGPT agent currently connects with consumer services, such as Gmail and GitHub, while Orchestrate is integrated with core enterprise platforms, including Salesforce, SAP, Workday and ServiceNow.
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