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OpenAI introduced Dots, a new autonomous agent that proactively scans the web and completes tasks, unveiling it at its DevDay conference before over 2,500 attendees. A tech journalist tested a personalized version, which she named Toolie, comparing its abilities to Meta's similar agent, Muse, by having it draft emails, suggest travel plans, and review notes.
Amid buzz around Meta's Muse assistant, OpenAI's Dots, and the $10 billion-valued Instinct, an Andreessen Horowitz report citing PNC research shows consumer willingness to pay for AI services remains low. As of May, only about 2.2% of consumers were paying for AI products, with spending growing slowly despite improving model capabilities.
Meta VP Andy Stone rejected a journalist's claim, reported by Inc.'s Jason Aten, that its Muse AI agent accessed a user's private Messages without permission. Stone said the Messages integration in Muse for Mac is opt-in, requiring users to separately enable Full Disk Access and a Messages connector. Meta Superintelligence Labs executive David Singleton added that three layers of app- and macOS-level permissions must be explicitly granted before Muse can read messages.
At its annual developer conference, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced several new products, including an always-on AI agent called Dots designed to complete tasks proactively for users. The announcement came a day after OpenAI paused release of a separate, more advanced model due to safety concerns raised by its researchers. Altman also unveiled GPT-6.1 Sol and a premium 'Ultrafast' speed tier.
A journalist testing Meta's new Muse AI agent found it suggested an article topic drawn directly from a private Messages conversation he'd had with a podcast cohost. When questioned, Muse said its Mac app could read incoming notifications and pass that context to the iPhone app, though it denied accessing full chat histories. Meta has described Muse as built to be safe, secure and private.
At its DevDay conference in San Francisco, OpenAI unveiled a new always-on AI agent called Dots, powered by its GPT-6 Astra model. During a live demonstration, product team member Holly Li called the agent by phone and asked for a testing update, but it took an extended pause and never gave a substantive answer, only repeating that it was 'still checking.'
OpenAI unveiled Dots at its DevDay conference, describing the tool as an 'always-on' agent that helps users handle tasks like scheduling and correspondence. The launch comes three weeks after Meta released its Muse agent, which helped send Meta's stock up 29% in September, and follows similar offerings from Google's Gemini Spark and Apple's redesigned Siri.
Meta has launched Muse, an AI agent designed to handle tasks like drafting emails and making online purchases on a user's behalf. The company says Muse can complete these tasks effectively, though doing so requires users to share personal data and payment information with Meta. Meta has also revealed plans for a Tamagotchi-style wearable called Muse Charm tied to the AI mascot.
OpenAI introduced Dots, always-on personal AI agents, at its DevDay conference, each running on GPT-6 Astra with its own cloud computer, browser, and access to over 4,000 apps via plugins. The launch came less than a day after OpenAI delayed GPT-6.1 Astra over safety concerns, with safety chief Saachi Jain noting the model had grown more persistent at completing tasks in ways that raised concerns about unauthorized actions. Users can reach their dot via ChatGPT, Slack, or Teams, with background research restricted to read-only tools while purchases require explicit approval.
Bank of America analyst Wamsi Mohan issued a note saying Meta's Muse AI agent, now nearing two weeks atop the US App Store, shows how third-party AI agents could bypass Apple's ecosystem for product discovery, referrals and transactions. Mohan kept a 'Buy' rating and $370 price target on Apple shares, which fell more than 2.5% on the day of the note. Muse has reportedly reached over 3.4 million downloads and integrates commerce partners like Shopify, Shop Pay, Expedia and PayPal.
Jim Cramer argued that investors are too pessimistic about an AI-driven selloff dubbed 'consumer inertia,' triggered by fears that Meta's Muse AI agent could help consumers cancel subscriptions and shop around instead of staying passively loyal. Since Muse launched September 8, stocks including Planet Fitness, Airbnb, Booking Holdings, SiriusXM and Charles Schwab have all fallen sharply. Cramer compared the panic to the earlier 'SaaSpocalypse' selloff in enterprise software stocks, which later recovered as fears of AI disruption proved overstated.
OpenAI unveiled Dots at DevDay 2026, always-on personal AI agents that keep working in the background after a chat ends. Each Dot runs on GPT-6 Astra with its own cloud computer and browser, connects to over 4,000 apps, and can be reached consistently through ChatGPT, Slack, or Microsoft Teams, with texting support coming soon. The feature is rolling out gradually to Pro, Business Premium, and Enterprise subscribers in select markets.