OpenAI releases GPT-5.6 and ChatGPT Work, an agent for multistep tasks

OpenAI has opened public access to the GPT-5.6 family of language models and simultaneously introduced a new mode, ChatGPT Work, which turns the chatbot into an AI agent for multistep work tasks.

What ChatGPT Work can do

In ChatGPT Work mode, the chatbot carries out long, multistep tasks on its own, using connected apps, documents and other data sources, 3DNews reports. Previously, users had to talk to ChatGPT step by step: ask a question, get an answer, then formulate the next step by hand. The new mode removes that step-by-step involvement: the agent decides for itself what data it needs, where to get it and in what order to perform the intermediate actions needed to deliver a result.

• Public release of the GPT-5.6 model family
• Simultaneous launch of ChatGPT Work mode on top of these models
• A single plugin catalog for connecting work services
• Integrations: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, SharePoint, Gmail, calendars, CRM systems

Why OpenAI merged ChatGPT and Codex

Essentially, ChatGPT Work combines the capabilities of conversational ChatGPT and the Codex AI agent in one product, 3DNews notes. Codex was previously aimed primarily at developers: it helped write, review and fix code alongside repositories and the terminal, remaining a narrowly specialized tool for engineering teams.

Codex technology underpins ChatGPT Work and is now available for everyday office work, not just programming. This means the agentic capabilities that were once available only to developers through a separate product are now built directly into the main ChatGPT and available to a broader audience.

How ChatGPT gets access to work data

The new mode uses a single plugin catalog through which ChatGPT connects to Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, SharePoint, Gmail, calendars and CRM systems. Similar integrations previously existed in scattered form and required users to set up each service separately.

Thanks to the single plugin catalog, the agent can gather data from several sources at once, including Slack conversations, documents on Google Drive or SharePoint, Gmail messages, calendar events and CRM records, and carry the user's multistep task through to a result without a human stepping in at each stage.

What this means

ChatGPT Work moves OpenAI from the category of chatbot for one-off questions into the category of enterprise AI agent, one that works inside the services a company already uses, from Slack and Gmail to CRM systems, and does not require employees to be trained on a separate new tool. For companies, this means multistep routine processes that previously required manual switching between applications can now be handed to a single agent.

Frequently asked questions

What is ChatGPT Work?

It is a new ChatGPT mode that turns the chatbot into an AI agent able to carry out multistep work tasks on its own, drawing on connected apps and documents, rather than only answering individual questions in a conversation.

How does ChatGPT Work differ from Codex?

Codex was originally built as an agent for developers, working with code. ChatGPT Work brings the same technology to everyday office tasks and connects it to services such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, Google Drive, SharePoint and CRM systems, making agent mode available to more than just engineers.