What Dots is
Dots are always-on personal AI agents from OpenAI, announced at DevDay on September 29, 2026. The official page describes them as “always-on agents built to handle everything”: you give a dot a project or a responsibility, it figures out the next steps on its own, keeps working between conversations, and brings items back for your review. Dots live inside ChatGPT, and the official page says they run on the GPT-6 Astra model.
Usage and boundaries
- Starting point and division of work: each dot starts with context from your ChatGPT memory; coding-related work is handed to Codex, with the official example of preparing code and tests for engineers to review.
- Cloud computer: a dot works on what the official page calls its own cloud computer, and can also connect to your own computer.
- Permissions and control: Custom Rules decide which actions are allowed, which require approval, and which are blocked. Sensitive actions pass through Auto-review, and things like password changes stay with the user.
- Interaction and entry points: you message or call your dot in ChatGPT on web, mobile, and desktop. The page also lists Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations and previews texting as a coming interaction. Dots are created in the ChatGPT desktop app.
- Availability: Dots ship with ChatGPT plans; the current plans and markets are listed on the official entry page, chatgpt.com/features/dots.
Discussion in the show
The Weekly #005 chapter “Dots：记忆、云电脑与上手体验” (Dots: memory, cloud computers, and hands-on impressions) moves from the launch to early problems. Yang Pan says OpenAI’s DevDay released Dots in the Chinese transcript; Guizang says Dots were placed into the Codex sidebar and many people cannot tell Codex, ChatGPT, and Dots apart, and lists issues he ran into: Codex threads could not be read at launch, fixed only later, voice calls ring twice before connecting, the cloud computer is barely open — no SSH access and no installing software, and the virtual computer restarts frequently.
In the chapter “邮件和微信：国内外的信息流差异” (Email and WeChat: information-flow differences), Yang Pan says he handed Dots his Google account permissions, and his daughter’s school reminder email was reported to him by Dots.
In the chapter “云电脑、自己的电脑与服务器管理” (Cloud computers, your own computers, and server management), Yang Pan says his dot registered two computers — the cloud computer and his Mac Studio, and when he assigns tasks from his laptop, the dot operates on the Mac Studio; Guizang clones his usual CLI tools into the virtual machine and uses his own Skills to create images and posts with a single sentence while away from his desk; Orange relays that the Dots team appeared on Lenny’s podcast and described plans to manage a whole fleet of computers for a company or a family.
In the chapter “DGX 涨价与硬件需求” (DGX price hikes and hardware demand), Orange groups Muse, Instinct, and Dots together and reads their near-free pricing as a return to the internet’s free-service logic. These are participant impressions and judgments from the show, not an independent product review or official pricing information.
Frequently asked questions
What are Dots?
Always-on personal AI agents from OpenAI that run inside ChatGPT, powered by the GPT-6 Astra model, working on their own cloud computers. Entry point: chatgpt.com/features/dots.
How do Dots differ from ChatGPT and Codex?
ChatGPT is a conversational assistant and Codex is centered on coding workflows; a dot is an agent you give a responsibility, and it keeps working between conversations: it starts from your ChatGPT memory and hands coding tasks to Codex. All three live in the OpenAI ecosystem, and with Dots placed in the Codex sidebar they are easy to confuse.
Which plans include Dots?
As of October 2026, the official page says Dots are rolling out to Pro, Business Premium, and Enterprise plans in eligible markets, with Enterprise requiring a workspace admin to enable them; check the official page for the current scope.
Can a dot connect to my own computer?
Yes, per the official page: a dot has its own cloud computer and can also connect to your computer. In episode 005, Yang Pan’s dot had both the cloud computer and a Mac Studio registered, while Guizang reported a tightly closed cloud computer, with no SSH access and no installing software.
Do Dots cost extra?
The official page lists no standalone price for Dots; they ship with ChatGPT plans. Plans and pricing belong to the official pricing page.