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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →OpenAI’s Dots are always-on agents inside ChatGPT: you give one an ongoing goal, choose which services and permissions it can use, and review its work as it continues between conversations. OpenAI says a Dot can use its own cloud computer, connected apps and ongoing context to carry out scheduled or proactive work. That describes the intended product, not an independently verified performance record. This first look reflects OpenAI’s documentation available on October 3, 2026.
What is an OpenAI Dot?
OpenAI describes a Dot as an always-on ChatGPT agent powered by GPT-6 Astra. Unlike a regular conversation that responds when you prompt it, a Dot can keep working toward a goal between conversations, decide what next step is needed, and return with progress, results or a request for your decision. OpenAI’s Help Center guide and Dots guide present examples such as reviewing a calendar, researching a topic, setting reminders, checking something regularly, tracking a project, preparing sales or finance materials, and drafting content. These are advertised use cases, not independently demonstrated outcomes.
The practical distinction is persistence and delegated work: you set a goal and boundaries, then the Dot may continue without a new prompt for every step. You can inspect its activity and decisions, pause it, or take over its cloud computer. It is not a guarantee that a task will finish correctly or that every requested action will happen without your review.
What can a Dot access?
There are separate ways to give a Dot access. A messaging channel lets you communicate through a supported service; it does not by itself grant access to that service’s inbox or files. Connected apps or plugins provide access according to the integration, your account settings and existing permissions. A local computer connection is another, optional permission. Keep these distinctions in mind when deciding what to connect.
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Its cloud computer
Each Dot has its own cloud computer and browser for tasks such as research, working with files and running software. OpenAI says this work can continue when your own devices are off. You can open the cloud computer to see what it is doing and take over.
Your local computer and connected apps
Local-computer access is optional and starts off. To make a local machine available, connect it through the ChatGPT desktop app; OpenAI says the machine must remain online and the app must be open while the Dot uses it. Connected apps and plugins are distinct: a Dot may review information from connected services proactively and use it to form memories, subject to the relevant permissions.
Disconnecting an app does not erase information the Dot already obtained from it. OpenAI says resetting or deleting a Dot removes its conversations, saved memories and scheduled tasks. Consider what information may have been retained before disconnecting an integration or deleting a Dot.
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Who can use Dots?
Eligibility and rollout depend on plan and region. As of October 3, 2026, OpenAI’s Help Center eligibility guidance says Pro access excludes the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland and the United Kingdom; Business Premium is supported across ChatGPT regions; and Enterprise, including Edu and Healthcare, requires an administrator to enable the beta, which is initially off by default. OpenAI says the first Dot is included with Pro or Business Premium at no extra cost. Access is rolling out gradually, so an eligible account may not have it immediately.
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The separate Learn guide also names Pro 100, Pro 200 and Pro 500 users and says they must be over 18 and outside the EEA, UK and Switzerland. Because plan names and rollout details can change, check the current Help Center and your account for eligibility. OpenAI’s product page uses broader access language; the more detailed Help Center qualifications are the safer guide to who can use the feature.
How do you create and manage a Dot?
Creation is desktop-first: use ChatGPT desktop web or the desktop app. OpenAI says mobile creation is not currently supported, and mobile web is unsupported. Using an existing Dot in the mobile app depends on the supporting update being available for your account.
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- ONE-TAP RECORDING FOR REAL-LIFE MOMENTS: Capture meetings, phone calls, and in-person conversations instantly with a simple tap, no typing, no interruptions, just effortless note-taking anywhere you go.
- SMART AI INSIGHTS & ORGANIZATION: Pocket automatically turns recordings into clear summaries, key action items and structured conversation maps so you can quickly review what matters without digging through audio.
- TURN CONVERSATIONS INTO ACTION WITH “ASK POCKET”: Don’t just record, understand. Instantly ask questions across your meetings, extract key insights and generate next steps in seconds. All grounded in your recordings, so answers stay accurate and reliable.
- MAGSAFE COMPATIBLE FOR SEAMLESS USE: Easily attach Pocket to your iPhone or other MagSafe compatible devices for convenient, hands-free recording on the go. Perfect for capturing meetings, calls, and ideas without needing to hold your device.
- Create it on desktop. Open ChatGPT on desktop web or in the desktop app and follow the Dot onboarding flow.
- Name it and set its goal. Explain the ongoing work you want done, provide useful context, and define what it may do independently.
- Choose access deliberately. Connect only the apps or plugins needed for the task. Local-computer access is optional; a messaging channel alone does not provide inbox or file access.
- Set boundaries. Use rules to specify whether an action is allowed, needs your approval, or should be handed back to you.
- Monitor its activity. Review In progress, Scheduled and Completed work, inspect the Dot’s computer when useful, and pause or reset/delete the Dot if needed.
OpenAI documents a limited text-messaging beta for some Pro users in the United States. It is not available in Business or Enterprise workspaces, uses a third-party provider, and message and data rates may apply. The Help Center says a Dot cannot initiate calls at launch; the Learn guide describes users starting a call from the ChatGPT interface. These product surfaces and rollout states may differ as updates arrive.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What safeguards and limitations should you know?
OpenAI describes controls for deciding what a Dot may access, share or purchase. Custom rules can permit an action, require approval, or leave the action for you to handle. The Dots feature page says actions affecting accounts or sharing information go through auto-review and that some actions require approval. These are descriptions of vendor safeguards, not a promise that errors or unintended actions cannot occur.
OpenAI’s Help Center warns: “Your dot can make mistakes, including when following your rules.” The Learn guide advises reviewing important results and sources, and notes that stopping a task does not undo actions already completed. For consequential work, give the Dot only the access it needs, inspect important details, and verify actions that affect accounts, money or other people before relying on them.
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- CHAT WITH YOUR RECORDINGS USING "ASK Plaud": Unlock deeper insights with this interactive AI. Ask questions, extract key points, draft emails, and get next-step suggestions—all grounded in your original audio for reliable, ready-to-use answers
- INTELLIGENT RECORDING WITH AI DIRECTIONAL AUDIO: Enjoy seamless, intelligent recording with Plaud Note Pro. Its AI automatically switches between call and meeting modes while recording, while directional audio and real-time spatial awareness minimize noise to capture voices with crystal clarity
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The official materials reviewed describe intended workflows and safeguards, but do not establish independent audit results, a measured reliability rate, productivity gains or comparative performance against other agents. Treat claims about what a Dot can do as product descriptions, not proof of how reliably it will do a particular job.
How is a Dot different from a regular ChatGPT conversation?
The useful comparison is how work is carried out, not a claim that one mode is universally better. A conversation is generally prompt-and-response; a Dot is configured for ongoing work, potentially using connected services or computing resources and returning for your review. The choices below shape how a Dot operates:
Quick Recap
| Choice | What it means |
|---|---|
| Cloud-only or local-computer access | The Dot always has its own cloud computer. Local-computer access is a separate, optional connection through the desktop app, and the local machine must be online with that app open. |
| ChatGPT or messaging channel | You can interact through ChatGPT or a supported messaging channel. A channel alone does not grant access to inboxes or files. |
| One-off or scheduled work | A regular conversation handles the current exchange; a Dot can be assigned ongoing or recurring work and can appear under Scheduled activity. |
| Approval or custom rule | You can require approval for some actions or create a rule governing what the Dot may do independently. OpenAI cautions that mistakes remain possible. |
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