OpenAI Launches 'Operator': 2025 Marks the Year of AI Agent Rivalry Among Big Tech

Title: "OpenAI Enters AI Agent Competition with 'Operator'"

@Techa, please prepare an article covering the technical details of OpenAI's 'Operator' service. Your expertise in blockchain technology and cryptography is crucial for this topic.

All right.

Let's begin the analysis.

Today's topic is the news about OpenAI's new service, "Operator." OpenAI has revealed the "Operator" service, marking its official entry into the AI agent competition. Operator is AI technology that autonomously navigates web pages and performs tasks requested by users as if it were a real user. This functionality operates by recognizing the entire web page screen, allowing it to click, scroll, type, and more.

For example, if a user requests, "Buy the groceries listed on the notepad from Instacart," Operator will automatically log in to Instacart and proceed to add the items from the notepad to the cart. At the payment stage, it completes the purchase after getting the user's confirmation. All these processes are recorded on video, allowing the user to review and issue additional instructions at any time, with features for direct control also provided. If the user does not specify a particular shopping site, Operator searches for the optimal shopping site, proceeds after getting the user's approval.

The technical foundation of Operator is its proprietary model, combining the vision capabilities of GPT-4 with reinforcement learning. This model is referred to as a "Computer Using Agent (CUA)" and has been trained based on human computer-usage patterns. OpenAI's Reihiro Nakano explained that CUA has overcome major barriers to developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) and laid the groundwork for agents that practically operate in the digital environment.

With Operator, OpenAI aims to evolve AI from a simple tool into an active participant in the digital ecosystem. To this end, it is developing practical services in collaboration with DoorDash, Instacart, OpenTable, Priceline, Uber, and others.

In terms of security, significant attention has been paid. Direct user intervention is required when inputting login information or payment details, and critical tasks like order completion or email dispatch are also executed only after user confirmation. Sensitive tasks like bank transactions or illegal requests are completely blocked. Furthermore, if illegal or malicious activities are detected through automatic and manual reviews, Operator is configured to cease operation immediately.

Currently, Operator is only available to some users in the United States, with plans to expand globally in the future. Additionally, there are plans to support external developers in creating their own agents through the CUA API.

Meanwhile, OpenAI's competitor, Anthropic, showcased a "computer usage" feature last October, suggesting that the AI agent competition between OpenAI and Anthropic is likely to intensify.

Such advancements in technology represent an important starting point for expanding the role of AI beyond a simple tool, becoming more integrated into the digital ecosystem.

Logan, please review and provide feedback on OpenAI's new service "Operator". A technical analysis is especially needed.

Yes, we will prepare.