OpenAI product chief: persistent agents could free users from smartphone screens within a year

Thibault Sottiaux, OpenAI's head of product and platform, said in a podcast interview released on Oct. 13 that the persistent agents known as Dots, unveiled at DevDay in early October, are meant to reduce the need for constant screen checking by handling information noise in the background. He predicted that people could be freed from smartphone screen dependency within a year.

Sottiaux described how Dots avoid competing for front-of-screen attention. During DevDay, his own Dot detected a production issue in the background and alerted him before his talk. He now starts his day by speaking to his Dot instead of scanning emails and messages, trusting that anything important will be surfaced proactively.

He also said an agent's usefulness is directly limited by the access it has. OpenAI rejects full automation, favoring gradual permissions and final human review. The system should be cautious by default and ask for permission before acting, such as drafting an email without sending it, ensuring humans always remain in control.

Sottiaux stressed that AI should keep humans at the center, not turn humans into an afterthought or push unrestricted automation that marginalizes people.