OpenAI and Meta push AI agents into sensitive tasks

AI companies are working to persuade users to rely on their tools for sensitive work. OpenAI and Meta are leading that charge with autonomous agents built to operate inside the apps where real business happens. Meet the agents On September 29, 2026, OpenAI introduced dots, a set of autonomous agents running on its GPT-6 Astra model. They are designed to keep working continuously across workplace platforms, including Slack and Microsoft Teams. Before dots can carry out sensitive actions, such as changing a password or deleting data, it needs the user to sign off. Meta released its Muse agent earlier in September 2026, and it quickly racked up millions of downloads. The numbers behind the push As of late September 2026, OpenAI reported more than 35 million weekly users across its Codex and ChatGPT Work products. Its consumer ChatGPT is far larger. OpenAI said the app draws over 1.2 billion weekly users. Both OpenAI and Meta are leaning on safety features including custom data controls, adjustable user permissions, and settings that keep enterprise usage data from being retained. Why trust is the whole ballgame The emphasis on user trust follows earlier incidents in which AI models in...