ChatGPT Work
ChatGPT Work is an OpenAI AI agent within ChatGPT for longer, multi-step projects and finished deliverables. OpenAI announced it on July 9, 2026. Work can gather context from files, connected systems, and websites, then create outputs such as documents, spreadsheets, presentations, reports, analyses, and interactive Sites. OpenAI says a complex task can continue for hours while the user follows its progress, answers questions, changes direction, and approves important actions.[1]
Work launched on GPT-5.6 and incorporates technology developed for OpenAI Codex.[1] OpenAI's ChatGPT Work page now describes the product as powered by GPT-6, and the current help documentation says GPT-6 Astra is rolling out in Work and Codex, gradually and with availability differing between Chat, Work, and Codex.[2][3] Work is nevertheless a distinct ChatGPT experience: OpenAI describes Chat as the place for quick conversational help, Work as an agent for multi-step work, and Codex as the dedicated environment for software development and other technical work.[3]
Key facts
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | OpenAI[1] |
| Announced | July 9, 2026[1] |
| Product type | Agent in ChatGPT for longer projects and finished deliverables[1][3] |
| Model | GPT-5.6 at launch; OpenAI's product page now says "Powered by GPT-6", and Astra is rolling out in Work and Codex[1][2][3] |
| Main surfaces | ChatGPT web, mobile, and the macOS and Windows desktop app[2][3] |
| Current general availability | All plans on desktop; Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu on web and mobile, subject to workspace and feature controls[2][3] |
| Connected systems | Plugins and their underlying apps, when installed, enabled, and authorized[1][6] |
| Browser options | A built-in desktop browser and a separate cloud browser for supported delegated tasks[4][5] |
| Personalization | A writing style feature that learns a user's style from connected messaging, document, and email apps, announced September 7, 2026[14] |
| Usage | Follows the Codex usage structure; consumption varies by task[1][3] |
| Industry edition | ChatGPT for Financial Services, announced September 10, 2026[17] |
Product scope
ChatGPT Work is a product mode, not a separate subscription plan or a model name. The user specifies an outcome and can supply files, constraints, source material, and review criteria. Work can divide the request into steps and produce a finished artifact rather than only returning a conversational answer. Examples in OpenAI's documentation include research, data analysis, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, reports, and Sites.[1][3]
The Work experience brings long-running tasks, artifact creation, plugins, scheduled workflows, and browser or desktop actions into one mode. OpenAI's documentation presents it alongside Chat and Codex rather than as a new base model.[1][3]
OpenAI also ships an industry-specific configuration of Work. On September 10, 2026 it announced ChatGPT for Financial Services, which it describes as "a tailored ChatGPT Work experience that combines built-in financial data with GPT-6 Astra's reasoning" and which builds on ChatGPT Enterprise's SAML SSO, SCIM provisioning, and role-based access controls. It adds financial datasets that OpenAI licenses, indexes, and hosts itself, connectors tuned for financial-data vendors, and administrator-published Excel, Word, and PowerPoint templates. OpenAI says it is available to eligible financial institutions through its sales team.[17]
Work and Chat share ChatGPT projects and recent-chat navigation. Codex remains a separate view with separate history. In the desktop app, eligible users can also open a local folder. Local files and outputs stay on that computer unless the user explicitly moves or shares them; Work on web and mobile cannot directly access files on the user's computer.[3]
ChatGPT Voice adds a live voice interface to Work and Codex in the macOS and Windows desktop app, where a user can speak, interrupt, and ask Voice to start or coordinate tasks. Voice uses the tools and permissions of the selected experience, and only one Voice conversation can run at a time.[3]
Availability and execution environments
OpenAI's current product page lists Work on every plan in the ChatGPT desktop app for macOS and Windows, including Free. It lists web and mobile access for Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu.[2] Actual access can still depend on rollout, app version, region, workspace settings, and role permissions.[3][4]
Work on web and mobile runs in the cloud. Cloud Work conversations can sync among supported web, mobile, and desktop surfaces. The desktop app can use cloud execution or, when the plan and workspace allow it, local files and desktop applications. A local conversation remains on that computer rather than appearing in cloud chat history.[3]
As of September 8, 2026, OpenAI's help documentation says Work is available for eligible ChatGPT Enterprise and Edu workspaces with Enterprise Key Management enabled, and that in an eligible workspace Work is enabled by default for members holding the default workspace role unless an owner or admin turns it off; workspace settings and role-based access controls still decide each member's access.[3] That is the current state rather than the launch behavior: OpenAI's July 9, 2026 release note said Enterprise and Edu workspaces on web and mobile had a two-week preview period during which Work was off by default, with admins able to opt out before it turned on automatically at the end of the preview.[12]
For managed organizations, Work Cloud and Work Local are separate permissions. Codex Local is controlled separately again, and browser use and network access have their own controls. As a result, access to one surface or execution mode does not imply access to all of them. Workspace owners and admins can also set a starting model, reasoning level, speed, Fast Mode availability, and new-chat behavior for Work and Codex under Workspace settings, separately from the equivalent default for Chat.[3]
Once Astra reaches an account it draws on that plan's included Work and Codex allowance, which OpenAI says it can consume faster than GPT-5.6 Sol. Pro $100 and Pro $200 plans and Business Premium seats can use their full existing allowance for Astra, while Plus and Business Standard seats include limited Astra usage with optional credits for additional usage afterward. OpenAI adds that buying credits does not provide early access during the rollout.[3]
Deliverables and ongoing workflows
Work can draw on connected context to create documents, presentations, spreadsheets, analyses, and other deliverables. Sites, introduced in public beta with Work, lets a user turn work into a shareable interactive website or web application such as a dashboard, tracker, prototype, portal, or report. OpenAI says Work can update a Site as underlying information changes.[1][2]
On September 3, 2026, OpenAI added external Site sharing: an eligible Site owner can give named people outside the workspace viewer access without publishing the Site publicly, and those viewers can use the Site but cannot edit or publish it and do not become workspace members. OpenAI's documentation describes the feature as rolling out to Sites users on Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans, and says Enterprise administrators control whether members may invite external visitors.[12][13]
The user remains part of the execution loop. During a task, the user can inspect progress, answer a clarifying question, change direction, and approve an important action. Descriptions of tasks running for hours establish the intended operating horizon, not a guarantee that every long task will finish without intervention.[1]
Plugins and connected systems
ChatGPT Work uses ChatGPT plugins to connect workflows and context. On July 9, 2026, OpenAI moved its former App Directory into the Plugins Directory. In the current terminology, a plugin packages a workflow and may include reusable skills, apps, and app templates. Apps are the integration layer that connects ChatGPT to external data or actions.[6]
OpenAI's product page says more than 1,400 plugins are available.[2] The systems those plugins reach are named in the July 9 launch post, which lists Slack and Microsoft Teams, Google Drive and SharePoint, email, calendars, CRMs, project trackers, and other internal tools.[1] A user can invoke an installed plugin explicitly with an @ mention, while ChatGPT may also select a relevant plugin from the request.[1][6] OpenAI added Zendesk and OneNote plugins in beta on September 3, 2026, and on August 28 allowed multiple accounts to be connected for the Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts plugins so that personal and work accounts can be used in the same conversation.[12]
Plugin visibility, installation, and usable app access are different things. Availability can depend on the plan, region, product surface, workspace, role, and included capability. If a plugin requires an app, that app must be enabled and the user may need to complete OAuth and sync setup. Installing the plugin does not grant broader rights in the connected service: source-system permissions still determine which files, records, repositories, workspaces, or channels the user may access.[6]
Writing style
On September 7, 2026, OpenAI's ChatGPT account on X announced that "ChatGPT Work can now pick up on what makes your writing sound like… you. Your favorite phrases. Your very specific sign-off. your capitalizations quirks." The post said that connecting everyday tools such as Gmail, Google Drive, Slack, and SharePoint lets Work learn the user's writing style from their emails, messages, and files and carry it into what they write next.[14]
The interface shown in the announcement calls the feature writing style. A setup card headed "Set up writing style" explains that "ChatGPT will write in your voice by referencing examples from your connected apps" and groups the sources into three rows, Messaging, Documents, and Email, each either already connected or offering a "Set up" action. The card's two actions are a button reading "Use writing style" and a "Not now" link.[14]
The same screenshot also shows a drafted Slack message, which is an example of the feature's output rather than product documentation. Its visible text describes writing style as an experience that learns how you write "from your connected apps + past ChatGPT context" and then uses that style "when drafting emails, Slack messages, docs, etc.", and says "Entry points include onboarding, Personalization settings and relevant writing flows." This is model-drafted demo copy inside a marketing image, so it carries less weight than documentation. It nonetheless names a second input, past ChatGPT context, and a settings location that the setup card does not mention.[14]
Every source the announcement names reaches ChatGPT through the plugin and app layer described above, so the same installation, authorization, and source-system permission rules determine what those apps expose to Work.[6][14]
OpenAI's plugin and app documentation says information handled through connected apps is encrypted in transit and at rest, that OAuth tokens use audited key-management practices, and that for ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, and Edu, information accessed from apps is not used to train its models.[7]
Beyond that drafted example, the announcement did not say which plans or regions receive writing style, how the derived style is retained, whether a workspace administrator can turn it off, or how a user resets it.[14]
Built-in and cloud browsers
ChatGPT Work has two browser environments with different operating models.[4][5]
| Browser | Where it runs | State and use |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in browser | Inside the ChatGPT desktop app | The user and ChatGPT can inspect the same page. It has its own browser state and supports multiple tabs, downloads, sign-in, navigation, and page annotation.[5] |
| Cloud browser | On a separate remote computer | Work can carry out supported web steps in the background and continue after the user's computer or phone is closed. It pauses for required input, sign-in, or confirmation.[4] |
The built-in browser does not use the user's existing Chrome profile. OpenAI directs users to the Codex Chrome extension when a task needs an existing Chrome profile, signed-in session, open tabs, or Chrome extensions. Credentials should be entered in the browser interface, not in the chat.[5] OpenAI's release notes, which call the same tool the ChatGPT browser extension, say it gained support for Microsoft Edge, Brave, Opera, and Vivaldi on August 31, 2026.[12] The current ChatGPT Learn page says all five browsers support tab mentions and browser control from the desktop app, and that Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Vivaldi also support side chat while Opera does not.[15]
OpenAI's two first-party descriptions of where cloud browser works do not match. The cloud browser help article says it is available in ChatGPT Work on paid ChatGPT plans in supported regions, excluding Free and Go, with availability also varying during rollout and possibly depending on workspace permissions.[4] The ChatGPT Learn browser page says cloud browsing is available in all regions on paid plans other than Free and Go, and that Enterprise administrators must enable cloud browsing for their workspace.[11] ChatGPT decides when to use it; a connected app or plugin may be used instead, or the two mechanisms may be combined.[4]
OpenAI announced signed-in website support for ChatGPT Work on August 25, 2026.[9] A follow-up in the official announcement thread said the feature was rolling out that day on web and mobile for Plus, Pro, and Business users.[10] OpenAI's current ChatGPT Learn documentation separately lists website sign-in on web and mobile for Plus and Pro, makes access dependent on rollout, and says the feature is unavailable for Enterprise and Edu workspaces.[11]
Site tools
On August 31, 2026, OpenAI added site tools, its implementation of the proposed WebMCP standard, to the desktop app's built-in browser. A website can expose actions to an agent alongside its ordinary interface, and Work or Codex can discover and use those actions on the page the user is viewing without a separate connection. OpenAI contrasts this with Model Context Protocol servers, which work independently of an open webpage; a website can support both.[12][16]
OpenAI's documentation says site tools require GPT-5.6 Sol or GPT-5.6 Terra, that WebMCP is currently disabled for GPT-5.6 Luna, and that the feature is not available through the Chrome extension or in Enterprise or Edu workspaces. Existing website-access and sensitive-action confirmations still apply.[12][16] That model requirement is narrower than the product page's "Powered by GPT-6" description of Work, and the two statements cover different things: the product page describes the product, while the help documentation says the GPT-6 Astra rollout in Work and Codex is gradual and that availability can differ between Chat, Work, and Codex. The site tools page still names the two GPT-5.6 models as the ones that support the feature.[2][3][16]
Cloud sign-in and persistent sessions
When a supported website requires authentication, cloud browser pauses for the user to sign in through a secure form and complete any two-factor step. OpenAI says credentials entered there go directly to the remote browser, are not visible to the model, and are not stored by ChatGPT. After authentication, the signed-in browser session can remain available for later tasks until it expires or the user clears that site's browser data.[4]
This persistence applies to the remote browser session, not to the user's ordinary browser. Cloud browser has its own cookies, browser data, and signed-in sessions. It does not inherit the device browser's open tabs, browsing history, saved passwords, cookies, extensions, or existing sign-ins.[4]
Website permission is also distinct from action approval. A user can configure default and site-specific access, but allowing a website does not pre-approve a consequential step. Cloud browser is designed to request confirmation before an action that could create a financial, legal, account, or other hard-to-reverse commitment. The user can also take over the remote browser directly.[4]
Scheduled and event-triggered tasks
Scheduled Tasks can run once, recur on a schedule, monitor for changes, or respond to a supported event. They can use connected systems and, when available, a browser. Event-triggered tasks run in Work and currently respond to supported Gmail, Slack, or GitHub activity.[1][8]
OpenAI lists event-triggered tasks for eligible Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, Edu, and Healthcare accounts. They are not available to Free or Go accounts or in FedRAMP workspaces. An action that requires approval can pause the task. A task created inside a ChatGPT project also cannot access files uploaded to or stored in that project, according to the current Scheduled Tasks documentation.[8]
Sharing a task does not transfer chat history, local files, folders, device access, connected app credentials, saved memories, custom instructions, or workspace permissions. A recipient schedules a separate copy using that recipient's own Work access and connected systems.[3]
Permissions, security, and privacy
For managed workspaces, administrators can control access to Work, plugins, apps, browser use, network access, and actions. Plugin installation and access to an underlying app are separate controls. Apps may also distinguish read access from the ability to take actions and may require confirmation before particular actions run.[3][6][7]
Enterprise and ChatGPT Edu workspaces disable plugins and their underlying apps by default; administrators can make them available by role. ChatGPT Enterprise and Edu also support role-based controls for Work Cloud and Work Local. The behavior of a managed workspace should therefore be checked rather than inferred from consumer-plan availability.[3][7]
OpenAI says data handled by connected apps is encrypted in transit and at rest and that OAuth tokens use audited key-management practices. For ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, and Edu, OpenAI says information accessed from apps is not used to train its models. Connected third-party services still apply their own data policies and residency rules to data sent to them.[7]
For cloud browser, website information used in a task follows the user's ChatGPT data-control settings. Users can clear data for all sites or a single site, which also ends the corresponding saved session. OpenAI says it tests for prompt injection, phishing, and unintended actions, while warning that those safeguards do not eliminate every risk.[4]
Limitations
Work cannot necessarily complete every website, sign-in, action, or transaction. A website can block automated traffic, a step can be unsupported or restricted, or the user may need to take over and finish the task. OpenAI advises users to review sources, website addresses, sign-in previews, screenshots, confirmation requests, sensitive steps, and important results.[4]
Capabilities and access vary across plans, regions, app versions, rollout stages, workspace roles, and connected systems. Usage also varies with task complexity and follows the Codex usage structure rather than a fixed amount of work per request.[1][3][6]
The available evidence is first-party product documentation. It establishes what OpenAI has announced and how its controls are documented; it does not independently demonstrate that Work is more accurate, productive, or secure than another system.
References
- ^1 ^2 ^3 ^4 ^5 ^6 ^7 ^8 ^9 ^10 ^11 ^12 ^13 ^14 ^15 ^16OpenAI. "ChatGPT is now a partner for your most ambitious work." July 9, 2026. openai.com/...chatgpt-for-your-most-ambitious-work
- ^1 ^2 ^3 ^4 ^5 ^6 ^7 ^8OpenAI. "ChatGPT Work for every team." Accessed Sept. 8, 2026. openai.com/chatgpt-work
- ^1 ^2 ^3 ^4 ^5 ^6 ^7 ^8 ^9 ^10 ^11 ^12 ^13 ^14 ^15 ^16 ^17 ^18 ^19 ^20 ^21OpenAI Help Center. "ChatGPT Work and Codex." Accessed Sept. 8, 2026. help.openai.com/...20001275
- ^1 ^2 ^3 ^4 ^5 ^6 ^7 ^8 ^9 ^10 ^11OpenAI Help Center. "Using cloud browser in ChatGPT." Accessed Aug. 27, 2026. help.openai.com/...-using-cloud-browser-in-chatgpt
- ^1 ^2 ^3 ^4OpenAI Help Center. "Using the built-in browser in the ChatGPT desktop app." Accessed Sept. 8, 2026. help.openai.com/...wser-in-the-chatgpt-desktop-app
- ^1 ^2 ^3 ^4 ^5 ^6 ^7OpenAI Help Center. "Plugins in ChatGPT and Codex." Accessed Aug. 27, 2026. help.openai.com/...56-plugins-in-chatgpt-and-codex
- ^1 ^2 ^3 ^4OpenAI Help Center. "Admin controls, security, and compliance for plugins and apps." Accessed Aug. 27, 2026. help.openai.com/...11509118
- ^1 ^2OpenAI Help Center. "Scheduled tasks in ChatGPT." Accessed Aug. 27, 2026. help.openai.com/...10291617
- ^OpenAI. "ChatGPT Work can now use its computer and browser to sign in to websites on web and mobile." ChatGPT official account on X, August 25, 2026. x.com/...2092366554965107164
- ^OpenAI. "Logging into websites is rolling out today on web and mobile for Plus, Pro, and Business users." ChatGPT official account on X, August 25, 2026. x.com/...2092366556584153249
- ^1 ^2OpenAI. "Browser." ChatGPT Learn, accessed September 8, 2026. learn.chatgpt.com/...browser
- ^1 ^2 ^3 ^4 ^5 ^6OpenAI Help Center. "ChatGPT - Release Notes." Entries for July 9, August 28, August 31, and September 3, 2026. Accessed Sept. 8, 2026. help.openai.com/...6825453-chatgpt-release-notes
- ^OpenAI. "Sites." ChatGPT Learn, accessed September 8, 2026. learn.chatgpt.com/...sites
- ^1 ^2 ^3 ^4 ^5 ^6OpenAI. "ChatGPT Work can now pick up on what makes your writing sound like… you." ChatGPT official account on X, September 7, 2026, including the attached product screenshot. x.com/...2097018264048251309
- ^OpenAI. "Browser extension." ChatGPT Learn, accessed September 8, 2026. learn.chatgpt.com/...chrome-extension
- ^1 ^2 ^3OpenAI. "Site tools." ChatGPT Learn, accessed September 8, 2026. learn.chatgpt.com/...webmcp
- ^1 ^2OpenAI. "Introducing ChatGPT for Financial Services." September 10, 2026. openai.com/...introducing-chatgpt-financial-services
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Cite this page: AI Wiki. "ChatGPT Work." aiwiki.ai, updated 11 Sept 2026, fact-checked 11 Sept 2026. CC BY 4.0. https://aiwiki.ai/wiki/chatgpt_work