A computer of its own
It runs in the cloud with a browser and apps: it keeps working with your phone off and the tab closed.
Personal agents · updated 16 October 2026
Agents that never sleep.
Within seven weeks OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Meta launched the same idea: an assistant with a computer of its own, working for you around the clock and calling you only when a decision is needed. Here is what they really do, what they cost and how to use them without handing over the house keys.
What sets them apart
Not a chatbot. A collaborator.
A chatbot answers when you write. An agent carries out multi-step tasks. An always-on agent goes further: it has a permanent workspace and keeps going while you are away.
Memory
It remembers preferences, people, deadlines and the thread of past conversations.
Access to your apps
Email, calendar, documents, websites: via connectors or by using the browser as you would.
Initiative
It doesn't just wait for commands: it flags, chases, proposes. It comes back to you for approvals.
The three agents
dots, Grok Bot, Muse: who does what.
ChatGPT dots
OpenAI
An agent with its own cloud computer and browser: you give it a goal, connect the apps it needs and decide what it may do alone. It keeps working after you close ChatGPT and brings back results for approval.
- Launch
- 29 September 2026 (DevDay)
- Model
- GPT-6 Astra
- Price
- First dot included in ChatGPT Pro and Business Premium
- In Italy
- Not on Pro (EU, Switzerland and UK excluded); for Business and Enterprise check with OpenAI
How it works
- Used from ChatGPT on web, desktop and phone, by voice too, or from Slack and Microsoft Teams.
- Connects to over 4,000 apps through connectors.
- When idle it does "proactive research", looking for ways to help.
- A read-only mode stops it from using the browser or computer while you are away.
Watch out for
- Expensive: requires Pro or Business Premium.
- Proactivity needs tuning: you decide which alerts and actions are allowed.
Sources: TechCrunch — OpenAI launches Dots · SiliconANGLE — always-on agents with their own cloud computers · Al Jazeera — OpenAI launches dots
Official site ↗
Grok Bot
SpaceXAI (xAI)
AI "teammates", each with its own cloud computer, that sign into the sites and apps you use, even those without an API. Several can work in parallel, with a "chief of staff" bot coordinating them.
- Launch
- 11 August 2026 (beta)
- Model
- Grok models
- Price
- Included in SuperGrok (Plus, Heavy) and Cursor Pro, Pro+, Ultra and Teams; usage counted separately
- In Italy
- Beta: check from your account; macOS and iOS apps
How it works
- You message it like a colleague; the conversation follows you across phone and desktop.
- It learns by watching you do a task once, saves it as a routine and repeats it with your corrections.
- It only comes back when it needs approval and chases stalled threads on its own.
- Since 15 October it has a marketplace for connectors, plugins and MCP servers.
Watch out for
- It is in beta and signs into your accounts: a phishing email or malicious page can trick it.
- If several bots share one account, a problem in one can affect the others.
Sources: xAI — Introducing Grok Bot · Cybernews — Grok Bot and AI agent risks · TestingCatalog
Official site ↗
Meta Muse
Meta (Superintelligence Labs)
Meta's personal agent works in a virtual machine with a browser you can watch live: it shops, books and runs long tasks in the background, and tells you when it is done.
- Launch
- 8 September 2026
- Model
- Muse Spark models
- Price
- Free with limits, then $20 or $100 a month
- In Italy
- Not yet: US only, no date for Europe
How it works
- Name, avatar and communication style are customisable.
- A permission system (Sentinel) separates read and write access to services.
- Announced in late September: a real-time video avatar, Mac app control, a dedicated email address, use with Meta glasses.
- Shopping partners such as Stripe, Shopify, Walmart and Instacart.
Watch out for
- Conversations train the models by default (you can opt out).
- Amazon blocked it in September because it did not identify itself as an agent while browsing.
Sources: Axios — Meta debuts Muse · TechCrunch — Everything new coming to Muse · Wikipedia — Muse (AI agent)
Official site ↗| ChatGPT dots | Grok Bot | Meta Muse | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud computer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (virtual machine) |
| Where you talk to it | ChatGPT, Slack, Teams | macOS and iOS apps | Meta AI app and web |
| Strength | 4,000+ connected apps | Parallel bots, routines by demonstration | Shopping and daily life |
| Control | Read-only mode, approvals | Approvals on decisions | Read/write permissions (Sentinel) |
| Entry price | ChatGPT Pro | SuperGrok | Free (US) |
Data checked on 16 October 2026. These products change weekly: check availability and prices on the official site before subscribing.
For work
Where they really help.
For a professional or small business the value is not "doing everything alone" but clearing the busywork: sorting, reminding, preparing. The decision stays yours.
InboxSorts, summarises and drafts replies. You review and send.
CalendarProposes times, moves meetings, reminds you of deadlines (tax filings, renewals).
Recurring researchEvery Monday: regulatory updates, grants, supplier prices, industry news.
Repetitive portal choresDownloading documents, filling forms as drafts, checking the status of an application.
Before handing over the keys
Six rules for an agent that won't betray you.
- 01Start read-only
For the first weeks the agent reads and proposes; you write, send and pay.
- 02Approval for anything irreversible
Messages to clients, payments, deletions, signatures: always with your explicit OK.
- 03Dedicated accounts and permissions
Where possible, a separate email and calendar, and only the connectors you really need.
- 04Distrust instructions inside content
An email or web page can hide orders for the agent (prompt injection). A good agent ignores them; you check the logs.
- 05No sensitive client data
For a professional firm: confidentiality and GDPR apply to the agent too. Use business plans with data-processing agreements.
- 06Review every week
What it did, what it spent, where it went wrong. Then widen or narrow its permissions.
My opinion on where this is heading is in "Always-on agents". If you want to bring an agent into your firm or company safely, I can help.
