In July 2025, OpenAI quietly turned its chat assistant into something more. The company added an “agent mode” that lets ChatGPT not just talk, but act. With a virtual computer, the agent can browse websites, run code, fill in forms and connect to tools like email and calendarsem360tech.com. Users can ask it to summarise client meetings or plan a wedding outfit and it will visit sites, pull data and even make purchases with approvalem360tech.com. This shift toward action signals a new chapter for AI-powered digital assistantstrendmicro.com.
Why It Matters
Adoption of generative AI has exploded. ChatGPT’s user base jumped from about 300 million weekly active users in December 2024 to 500 million by mid‑2025em360tech.com. A report by Mary Meeker suggested it could top 800 million by April 2025 and one billion by year’s endem360tech.com. Enterprise uptake is strong too; more than 600 000 users in 93% of Fortune 500 companies now use ChatGPTem360tech.com. With agent mode, ChatGPT becomes a hands‑on assistant that can run marketing analyses, build presentations and automate tasks, reshaping workflows for marketers, strategists and business leadersworldcomgroup.com.
How the Agent Works
Agent mode combines two earlier tools—Deep Research and Operator—so that ChatGPT can decide when to browse, when to interact with web pages and when to run codeunderstandingai.org. It uses a text browser for reading web pages, a visual browser for clicking and filling forms, a code interpreter for data analysis and a terminal for executing commandshelp.openai.com. It can also connect to read‑only data sources like Gmail, Drive or SharePoint via connectorshelp.openai.com. These tasks usually finish within 5–30 minuteshelp.openai.com.
Agent mode is available to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, Enterprise and Edu usershelp.openai.com. Plus plan holders get 40 agent messages per month, while Pro subscribers get 400help.openai.com. The agent runs inside an isolated virtual computer so actions stay within a controlled environmenttechtarget.com. It asks for permission before sending emails, purchasing items or completing other critical actions and lets users take over the browser when they need to enter passwordstechtarget.com.
What It Can Do
OpenAI pitched the agent as a universal assistant. It can research topics, compile data into spreadsheets, create slide decks, schedule meetings and coordinate traveltechtarget.com. In marketing, this means automated market research, content optimisation, trend analysis and quick creation of multi‑format reportsworldcomgroup.com. It handles routine administrative tasks like scheduling and email management while still allowing human oversighttechtarget.com. For strategic planning, the agent can synthesise competitor analysis, industry trend data and customer feedback into actionable insights ready for presentationtechtarget.com.
Where It Falls Short
Independent reviews show the technology is still immature. An early user asked the agent to buy groceries and found it much better than previous versions, but it still misread one item and struggled to handle a loginunderstandingai.org. It ordered a replacement light bulb but was blocked by security checks and needed human interventionunderstandingai.org. These hiccups show that the agent can perform many steps but isn’t always reliable enough for high‑stakes tasksunderstandingai.org. The agent also cannot infer personal preferences such as favourite brands unless the user spells them outunderstandingai.org.
Marketing strategists caution that agent mode excels at quick, one‑off tasks like pulling data or generating reports but lacks the structured workflow needed for long‑term campaign managementpollackgroup.com. General AI tools cannot yet match specialised industry software for tasks in regulated fieldspollackgroup.com. Access to full agent capabilities will be reserved for higher‑tier subscriptions, leading to a tiered AI economypollackgroup.com.
Risks and Safety
Allowing an AI to act introduces serious privacy and security challenges. Experts warn that malicious actors could trick agents into leaking data or performing actions the user didn’t intendem360tech.com. Over‑permissioned agents might access more information than needed, and poor AI literacy could leave users exposedem360tech.com. Trend Micro notes that the new agent’s autonomy makes it more susceptible to manipulation and data leakagetrendmicro.com. OpenAI itself warns that the agent is experimental and not meant for high‑stakes uses; CEO Sam Altman advises granting only minimal access and maintaining cautionem360tech.com.
OpenAI has built layered safeguards. The agent requests confirmation before important actions, blocks certain websites and offers a takeover mode so users can enter sensitive information themselveshelp.openai.com. The company recommends avoiding vague commands like “handle everything,” disabling unused connectors and clearing browser data after sessionshelp.openai.com. It also suggests not typing passwords in chat and stopping tasks if something seems suspicioushelp.openai.com.
TechTarget echoes these best practices. To use the agent effectively, users should:
- Provide clear, complete instructions and contexttechtarget.com.
- Collaborate with the agent by answering clarifying questions and intervening when neededtechtarget.com.
- Protect sensitive information by disabling connectors when not in use and using takeover mode for passwordstechtarget.com.
- Review permission requests carefully to avoid prompt‑injection attackstechtarget.com.
Implications for Marketers
For marketers, agent mode is both exciting and cautionary. It promises automation of routine tasks and faster content productionworldcomgroup.com. Yet success will depend on how teams use it. The Pollack Group notes that agent mode is a “tactical powerhouse” for quick market research and content optimisation but not yet a strategic platform for managing long campaignspollackgroup.com. They advise organisations to start testing now, train teams in prompt writing and AI oversight, and focus on use cases that align with strategypollackgroup.com. Voice interfaces and human‑centred UX remain open opportunitiespollackgroup.com, and creativity, storytelling and cultural fluency will still differentiate brandspollackgroup.com.
Looking Ahead
Agent mode hints at a future where AI partners handle complex workflows across the digital ecosystemtrendmicro.com. The technology already operates on smartphones and responds to text and speechtrendmicro.com. Over time it will likely learn user preferences and contexttrendmicro.com. But the path to widespread adoption will require better reliability, stronger safeguards and clear governance. As Mary Meeker’s report points out, growth is rapidem360tech.com. Brands that experiment responsibly today will be ready when agentic AI matures.
In this fast‑moving field, you can embrace the power of AI while keeping control. Start small, stay vigilant and let human insight guide the machine.