OpenAI's annual developer conference was less about one big model and more about putting agents to work. In its DevDay 2026 recap, published on 29 September 2026, the company introduced Dots, a set of always-on AI agents, alongside a cheaper model called GPT-6.1 Sol and a long list of team and developer tools.
Key takeaways
Dots are always-on agents built to handle ongoing responsibilities, available first on Pro and Business Premium plans.
GPT-6.1 Sol offers what OpenAI calls near-Astra intelligence at one-fifth of standard token pricing.
A new Pro 500 tier, an Ultrafast speed option and a marketplace with 32 launch partners round out the release.
What are Dots?
Dots are AI agents that keep running in the background and look after ongoing tasks, instead of waiting for a prompt. OpenAI says they're available on Pro and Business Premium in eligible markets, with beta access for Enterprise, Edu and Healthcare customers when workspace admins switch it on.
It's the clearest sign yet that the industry's focus has moved from chat to agentic AI: software that plans, acts and follows up on its own.
GPT-6.1 Sol and the speed tier
GPT-6.1 Sol is pitched as close to the flagship GPT-6 Astra in capability at one-fifth of the token price. It's available across the API and the Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu plans.
For customers who care more about speed than cost, OpenAI added an Ultrafast tier. The company says it generates tokens up to eight times faster in Codex and up to six times faster in the API. It's limited to Pro 500 and Enterprise users for now.
Tools for teams and developers
ChatGPT Space: a shared team workspace for Pro, Business and Enterprise users.
Pages and Slides: collaborative documents for people and agents, with slide export to PowerPoint and Google Slides due in the coming weeks.
Agents API: now supports computer use and multi-agent setups, plus a new Decisions API for real-time classification and routing.
Codex: cloud deployment, code review for GitHub and GitLab, and continuous security scanning.
The business side
OpenAI also launched a marketplace with 32 partners, including Figma, Adobe, Salesforce and CrowdStrike. Enterprise customers can redirect existing spending commitments towards approved software. Sign in with ChatGPT starts with 16 partners, among them Notion and Vercel.
The Pro 500 plan offers 25 times the allowance of ChatGPT Plus. OpenAI put its audience at 1.2 billion weekly users.
What to keep in mind
These are OpenAI's own descriptions and figures. How reliable always-on agents are in day-to-day work will only show up in real deployments, and the same week brought reminders that agents raise security stakes, from the White House AI accord to the JadePuffer attack on Azure.
Why it matters
Cheaper tokens change the maths for businesses in Southeast Asia, where cost has held back serious rollouts. A model at one-fifth of the price makes more use cases viable, from customer service to fraud screening in banking. The harder question is governance: once agents run all day, someone has to decide what they're allowed to touch.
Frequently asked questions
What is OpenAI Dots?
Dots are always-on AI agents designed to handle ongoing responsibilities. They're available on Pro and Business Premium plans in eligible markets.
How much cheaper is GPT-6.1 Sol?
OpenAI says it delivers near-Astra intelligence at one-fifth of standard token pricing.
What is the Pro 500 plan?
A new subscription tier with 25 times the ChatGPT Plus allowance and access to the Ultrafast speed tier.
What is the OpenAI Marketplace?
A software marketplace that launched with 32 partners. Enterprise customers can apply existing commitments to approved software.