OpenAI launched ChatGPT Work on 9 July 2026, a mode that runs tasks on a persistent cloud machine with a hosted browser, connected apps, scheduled runs and suggested tasks drawn from calendar and mail. An outside analyst reconstructed how its memory, files and scheduling actually work, finding that continuity between tasks runs through ChatGPT's own layer rather than the machine. Some features are missing on web and mobile, and the cloud browser is blocked by sites such as Amazon.
What changed
ChatGPT could search and fetch web pages but could not click through interfaces, stay logged in or persist a working computer between conversations.
What it unlocks
Running a long knowledge-work task on a persistent cloud machine with a controllable browser, on a schedule or resumed across devices.
- 10 million Work and Codex users
- Pro VM: 8 CPUs, 20GB RAM, 64GB disk
- Plus VM: 14GB RAM
What you need to act on it
- ChatGPT Plus or Pro
- desktop app for local mode and heartbeat scheduling
Sources