OpenAI’s artificial intelligence agent products have reached a critical milestone. The company officially announced on July 21 that its two core AI agent products—Codex, designed for programming scenarios, and ChatGPT Work, aimed at comprehensive task handling—have collectively surpassed 10 million users. This figure has nearly doubled since early July, signaling that AI agents are moving from early-adopter experimentation toward large-scale adoption.
The primary catalyst for this surge in users is the launch of ChatGPT Work. Positioned as a general-purpose AI agent, the product can autonomously handle complex, multi-step tasks that go beyond the capabilities of traditional chatbots. Its functionality closely mirrors that of Cowork, a collaborative tool previously launched by competitor Anthropic, heating up the head-to-head battle between the two companies in the AI agent arena.
According to Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter, OpenAI planned to officially disclose this data on the 21st. The report noted that the market introduction of ChatGPT Work directly stimulated a sharp rise in demand for AI agents, with the combined user base of Codex and ChatGPT Work achieving exponential growth within just a few weeks.
From Chat to Execution: The Evolution of AI Agents
AI agents are widely regarded by the industry as the next-generation core product form following basic chatbots. Unlike traditional conversational AI, agent products possess the ability to autonomously plan and execute multi-step tasks, handling complex work such as information retrieval, data analysis, code writing, and even cross-application operations on behalf of users, significantly lowering the barrier to entry.
OpenAI’s strategy in this arena is built upon its massive user ecosystem. Since ChatGPT burst onto the scene in late 2022 and ignited the global generative AI boom, the product has amassed over 900 million weekly active users. This enormous base provides a natural traffic entry point and conversion foundation for promoting agent-type products.
However, the current 10 million agent users still represent only a tiny fraction compared to ChatGPT’s overall base of over 900 million weekly active users. This implies that the room for internal conversion remains substantial. How to efficiently convert this vast pool of basic users into paying customers for agent products will be the core challenge in OpenAI’s next phase of commercialization.
Accelerating Product Iteration
To meet the rapidly growing user demand, OpenAI has been iterating its products intensively. According to tech media outlet 9to5Mac, OpenAI this month replaced its desktop application with a new version built on the standalone Codex application, introducing more advanced features while also adding complexity to the basic chat interface. The application has since undergone several updates to strike a better balance between chatting and task execution.
OpenAI’s developer team revealed on social media that Codex is becoming “faster and easier to navigate,” with updates pushed for long conversations, the sidebar, review functions, side chat, and daily workflows.
Meanwhile, usage quotas for ChatGPT Work paid users were reset on the 21st. An OpenAI employee posted on social media: “10 million! A new day, new usage reset for Codex and ChatGPT Work paid users, going live within the next hour.”
A Two-Horse Race: The OpenAI vs. Anthropic Contest
The competitive landscape of the AI agent market is evolving rapidly. OpenAI and Anthropic, two leading AI companies, are pushing in virtually the same direction, both committed to developing advanced AI agents capable of handling more complex work on behalf of users.
Anthropic’s Cowork explicitly targets a broader market beyond AI programming assistance tools, a positioning that heavily overlaps with ChatGPT Work. The two companies are not only chasing each other in technical capabilities but are also locked in an increasingly intense battle for user acquisition and market expansion.
Extending an Olive Branch to SMBs
As its user base surpassed the 10 million mark, OpenAI simultaneously announced a new initiative targeting small and medium-sized businesses—the “ChatGPT for small business program.”
According to 9to5Mac, the program aims to help SMBs leverage ChatGPT to boost productivity and achieve business growth. The initiative comprises four core components: providing practical virtual training, hosting in-person SMB AI academies in the United States, offering a practical guide to getting started with ChatGPT, and opening up access to agents and partner resources specifically designed for SMBs. OpenAI has opened registration, and SMBs can apply by filling out a form.
This move indicates that OpenAI is attempting to expand the application scenarios for AI agents from individual users and developers into the broader commercial user market. As a vital component of the global economy, SMBs have strong demand for digitalization and intelligent tools, positioning them as a key growth engine for the commercialization of AI agent products.
The Road to Commercialization
The vast gap between 10 million users and 900 million weekly active users represents both a challenge and an opportunity. The key question OpenAI needs to answer is: how to convince users accustomed to free chatbots to pay for agent products that can autonomously execute tasks?
Current market signals suggest that the demand side is responding positively. The doubling of user numbers following the launch of ChatGPT Work confirms the market’s appetite for more powerful and autonomous AI tools. As product features continue to mature and application scenarios expand, AI agents are poised to evolve from “novelty items” into “productivity necessities.”
However, competitive pressure cannot be underestimated. Anthropic’s Cowork is in hot pursuit, and other tech giants and startups are also accelerating their positioning in this space. Whether OpenAI can leverage its first-mover advantage and massive user ecosystem to solidify its leadership in the agent era remains to be tested by time.