OpenAI’s AI agents need to catch up

OpenAI popularized modern generative AI chatbots but has fallen behind in the emerging category of continuously running, consumer-facing AI agents, which are platforms capable of booking travel, buying groceries, scheduling appointments, and performing other tasks. At its upcoming DevDay event, OpenAI is rumored to release an AI agent called Aeon to compete with similar platforms from other companies, though it would need to combine the best features of existing systems while addressing serious security risks that have plagued agents since their practical success began. The competition in this space has accelerated significantly, with Meta's recently released Muse topping app charts and achieving 600,000 daily active users in the US, making Meta OpenAI's primary competitor for agentic AI.