OpenAI releases new agent and GPT-5.6

ChatGPT Work helps office workers exploit the power of programming tools without paying high fees, can run on desktop computers, web, mobile devices, and supports daily work such as drafting documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. The agent combines the famous chatbot ChatGPT with the AI ​​programming tool Codex, designed as a "companion" in the workplace.

This is considered OpenAI's answer to Claude Cowork, an agent released by Anthropic in January with the ability to automatically plan and execute multi-step tasks. Both ChatGPT Work and Claude Cowork are designed for people who don't know programming but want to exploit the capabilities of AI programming tools - which are more powerful than standard chatbots but require specialized knowledge.

ChatGPT Work will be cheaper and more widely available than rival products, OpenAI said. The agent is currently deployed on web and mobile devices, starting with Pro, Enterprise, Edu plan users, with plans to expand to Plus and Business plan users in the coming days.

ChatGPT Work runs on GPT-5.6, OpenAI's most advanced AI model, also released on July 9. Last month, this model's release was postponed at the request of the US government due to national security concerns.

According to TechCrunch, GPT-5.6 includes three versions: Sol, Terra and Luna. Sol is the flagship product, introduced as the company's most powerful AI to date with significantly increased agent capabilities in programming, biology, and cybersecurity. Sol costs 5 USD per million input tokens and 30 USD per million output tokens. Terra is a mid-range option, suitable for everyday use at half the price. Luna is fast and low cost, the price per million input and output tokens is 1 and 6 USD respectively.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman pledges that the company's new model is much more efficient and cost-effective than previous versions. Compared to competing models, Sol uses tokens 54% more efficiently when performing AI programming tasks, he told CNBC.

Max Weinbach, an analyst at consulting firm Creative Strategies, estimates that the smallest version of GPT-5.6 can complete the task almost as well as the most powerful version, while costing 1/5. "This is the first time I've seen a small-scale model accomplish these types of tasks," Weinbach commented.

Reuters commented that OpenAI's new product reflects increasingly fierce competition in the race to develop and sell AI tools for professional use. This comes as tech companies seek to capitalize on growing demand for automated agents that can complete complex tasks without much human intervention. Anthropic and OpenAI are competing fiercely to attract business customers, which are considered more profitable than selling products to consumers.

Also on July 9, Fidji Simo, OpenAI's Product and Sales Director, announced his resignation to focus on recovering from a "worsening chronic illness", switching to a part-time consultant for the company.

According to CNBC, Simo was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) in 2019. She said she spent "countless hours in the doctor's office, dealing with symptoms, treatments, insurance procedures, uncertainty and all the other silent work of being a patient."

"When I asked for leave, many people said I was brave because I prioritized my health. But in fact, I only made the decision now because I couldn't do it many times before," Simo wrote on Twitter.

Simo joined OpenAI in May 2025 and took a break from April for medical treatment. During her absence, OpenAI President Greg Brockman took over product-related work.