AI tool that can do online shopping for you launches in UK

A new tool by ChatGPT’s AI agent which can autonomously carry out tasks on the web by its user, has been launched in he UK for the first time.

First announced in January, Operator can be given a simple task, such as doing an online shop based on a shopping list shared by the user, and can complete it autonomously.

‘Operator’ has been trained to interact with computer interfaces, including websites and the various menus and buttons it sees.

The tool is also able to use the keyboard and mouse to move around the web on its own, but users can take control of the tool at any point.

In a bid to make sure the tool can actually address real-world needs, ‘Operator’ has collaborated with sites such as OpenTable and Uber so users can do anything from booking a restaurant to booking a cab.

OpenAI, the company that made Operator said the AI has also been trained to ask users to take over tasks that require log-in or payments details.

The technology remains in “research preview” and is not the finished product, and like the US version released last month, the tool is only being rolled out in the UK for ChatGPT’s pro subscribers.

Earlier this year, OpenAI boss Sam Altman said he believed AI agents would begin to “join the workforce” in 2025 and would “materially change the output of companies”.

During the January live stream where Operator was first unveiled, Mr Altman said: “We think this is going to be a big trend in AI and really impact the work people can do, how productive they can be, what they can accomplish”.