Meta, OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Anthropic, and Sierra are developing AI agents designed to perform tasks on behalf of users rather than functioning as simple chatbots. These companies aim to transition from traditional graphical interfaces to systems based on delegation and automated orchestration.
On October 6, 2026, Meta and Sierra introduced the Personal Agent Protocol. This open standard utilizes OAuth for session management, allowing users to set permissions while businesses define authorized actions. Partners including Shopify, Stripe, Walmart, Genesys, Instinct, and Rocket have joined the initiative to improve interaction efficiency.
OpenAI launched its always-on agents, known as dots, on September 29, 2026, powered by the GPT-6 Astra model. These agents require explicit user consent for high-risk operations. Currently, ChatGPT Work/Codex reports over 35 million weekly users, highlighting the scale of potential agent deployment.
Major platforms are integrating agents directly into existing workflows like Slack and Microsoft Teams. The industry is moving toward hybrid interfaces and agent-to-agent communication, where software agents negotiate directly with each other to complete multi-step processes across different services.
