Dots are always-on agents with their own cloud computer

OpenAI describes dots as agents powered by GPT-6 Astra that have their own cloud computer and browser, connect to over 4,000 apps through plugins, and work in the background. Its developer example: a dot watches customer feedback for recurring requests, scopes smaller fixes, builds and tests them, and returns complete PRs with videos of the changes. OpenAI says background "proactive research" uses read-only tools, and that its auto-review step checks actions that could affect accounts or share information against your rules. Dots are rolling out to Pro and Business Premium in eligible markets, with an Enterprise beta that admins must enable.

The launch example is OpenAI's own and there is no independent account of how it performs. A Hacker News thread reached 352 points and 257 comments by mid-afternoon. One commenter, lukebuehler, wrote that "they increasingly separate the harness from the compute env."

Why it matters: The design choice to watch is read-only background access with approval gates for anything that writes. That is the same split a factory needs between unattended work and actions a person signs off.