OpenAI tool that can online shop for you comes to the UK

Operator, ChatGPT’s AI agent that can autonomously go to the web and carry out a task set for it by the user, has launched in the UK for the first time.

First announced last month, the tool is designed to be given a simple task, such as completing an online shop based on a photo of a shopping list the user shares, and can then go off and complete it autonomously.

Operator has been trained to interact with computer interfaces – including webpages and the various menus and buttons it sees, as well as the keyboard and mouse to move around the web on its own, but users can take control of the tool at any point.

OpenAI says Operator has also been trained to proactively ask the user to take over for tasks that require a log-in or payment details.

The firm said it has also collaborated with sites such as OpenTable and Uber to ensure Operator could be used to address real-world needs, such as booking restaurants or transport.

The ChatGPT maker said the tool remains a “research preview” as opposed to a finished product, and much like its initial introduction in the US last month, is only being rolled out in the UK to subscribers to ChatGPT’s Pro subscription, which costs 200 US dollars (£159) a month.

AI agents have been identified by some as a key moment in the current AI revolution, taking on administrative and other tasks autonomously to save people time in both work and personal situations.

Earlier this year, OpenAI boss Sam Altman said he believed AI agents would begin to “join the workforce” in 2025 and would “materially change the output of companies”.

During the January live stream where Operator was first unveiled, Mr Altman said: “We think this is going to be a big trend in AI and really impact the work people can do, how productive they can be, what they can accomplish”.