❯ OpenAI reportedly readies always-on assistant “o” for DevDay, able to keep working after the chat closes

Config files give it awayAccording to TestingCatalog, ChatGPT’s configuration files reference a product called “o” with its own email suffix, and it briefly appeared on the upgrade page for the $100 Pro plan, described as an always-on assistant. Always-on means it keeps working after the user closes the chat, and it may even have its own identity. OpenAI has not confirmed it; it is expected to appear at DevDay in San Francisco on September 29.

Built on AeonThe report says “o” may be built on Aeon, OpenAI’s existing always-on agent infrastructure that currently powers custom agents for ChatGPT Workspace accounts; “o” would be the consumer version. Its supported tasks, permissions, and whether it supports scheduling and memory are not yet known. OpenAI has also been rumored to be developing donut-shaped hardware, and the single-letter name could be a nod to it, though there is no evidence the two are linked.

From turn-taking to always onToday ChatGPT works turn by turn; an always-on assistant could keep checking email, following up on tasks and running long jobs in the background. Users would repeat themselves less but hand over more account access. OpenAI’s own sandbox incident in today’s first story sharpens the question: why should users trust an assistant running in the background not to overstep?

▪ SIGNALThe hard part of an always-on assistant is not how much it can do, but how many account keys users will dare to hand it.