On November 14, OpenAI is preparing to launch a new artificial intelligence agent tool code-named "Operator", which is scheduled to be released in January 2025. The tool can automate tasks such as writing code or booking trips on users' computers. OpenAI's leadership announced at an internal meeting on Wednesday that the tool would be launched as a research preview and open to developers via an API, according to people familiar with the matter. The plan is part of a broader push by the AI industry to develop "agent" software, which aims to allow AI agents to complete multi-step tasks with minimal supervision. It follows similar AI agent tools from Microsoft, an investor in Anthropic and OpenAI, and similar products from Google.