AI agents move deeper into business workflows with ChatGPT Work & GPT-5.6

ChatGPT Work turns ChatGPT into an AI agent that can complete multi-step projects across connected apps and desktop tools with GPT-5.6 powering the new experience.

ChatGPT Work is designed for longer assignments instead of one-off prompts. It can gather information from connected apps and workflows, create spreadsheets, presentations, documents and web apps, then continue working for hours by breaking larger projects into smaller steps.

The new experience runs on GPT-5.6 and includes built-in Codex capabilities for reasoning through complex tasks, working with templates and reference files, and carrying context across multiple stages of a project.

OpenAI said more than 5 million people use Codex each week, with more than 1 million using it outside software development. Codex's growing use outside software development aligns with OpenAI's push to bring AI agents into sales, finance, marketing and other business workflows.

Users can connect ChatGPT Work to Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, SharePoint, email, calendars, CRM platforms and project management tools. ChatGPT can pull information from those services, create documents and analyses, and keep refining its work while users review progress and approve important actions.

OpenAI is also introducing Sites in ChatGPT as a public beta. Sites lets users turn projects into interactive websites or web apps, including dashboards, launch calendars, project trackers, internal portals and reports.

Scheduled Tasks lets users automate recurring work, trigger actions when specific events occur and monitor changes over time. The feature can update meeting agendas from Slack conversations or refresh presentations when feedback arrives by email.

The ChatGPT desktop app for Mac and Windows also adds several new capabilities. ChatGPT can work with local files and desktop apps, browse the web through a built-in browser, and use Computer Use to click, type and move files while completing tasks in the background.

ChatGPT's new capabilities could handle repetitive tasks for users, but you may want to think hard about letting an independent agent access even more of your files.

In March 2026, OpenAI outlined its vision for a unified desktop app that combines AI tools into a single workspace.

Codex becomes part of the main ChatGPT app

OpenAI is merging the standalone Codex app into the new ChatGPT desktop app beginning July 9. Developers will retain Codex's coding features, including inline editing within diffs, pull request review, support for multiple repositories and faster Computer Use powered by GPT-5.6.

The existing ChatGPT desktop app will be renamed ChatGPT Classic. OpenAI also plans to sunset Atlas, its standalone browser, while expanding the ChatGPT Chrome extension so users can work directly from Chrome's sidebar.

Bringing those capabilities together reduces the need to switch between separate AI products for coding, research and general productivity. Instead, OpenAI is positioning ChatGPT as the primary interface for those tasks.

ChatGPT Work adds enterprise controls

ChatGPT Work begins rolling out on July 9 for Pro, Enterprise and Edu users on the web and mobile. OpenAI said Plus and Business users will receive access over the following several days.

The updated ChatGPT desktop app is available globally for Mac and Windows. Chat, Work and Codex are available in the desktop app on every plan, including Free, although ChatGPT Work is rolling out first to Pro, Enterprise and Edu subscribers before expanding to Plus and Business plans.

Recent issues with the ChatGPT Mac app highlight why security becomes more important as OpenAI gives the desktop app greater access to local files and tools. ChatGPT Work follows the same usage model as Codex, with more complex projects consuming more of a user's included usage.

Enterprise and Edu administrators can manage access to connected tools, company data and available actions through centralized controls. The Compliance API gives organizations visibility into ChatGPT Work conversations and actions, while an auto-review system checks sensitive actions before they occur.

OpenAI said internal adversarial testing showed the system blocked attempts to extract protected data, though the company hasn't published independent testing or validation of those results.

ChatGPT Work expands ChatGPT from a conversational assistant into an AI agent for extended workflows. Whether businesses trust an AI agent with routine work across company apps may prove just as important as the technology itself.