1In one sentence
Work mode (which replaced the older "agent mode" in 2026) lets ChatGPT take a job and run it for many minutes on its own, producing documents and spreadsheets, and scheduled tasks let it repeat something for you every day or week.
2New words
- Agent — an AI that takes a goal and performs several steps by itself, like browsing, reading files and writing a result. "Agent mode" was the 2025 name; in 2026 its job went to Work.
- Work — the switch at the top of the desktop app, website and phone app (launched July 2026). In Work, you describe a finished result (a report, a spreadsheet, a presentation) and ChatGPT builds it, asking you to approve important steps. On Pro, Business and Enterprise, presentations are made with ChatGPT Slides, which you can edit with others and export to PowerPoint, PDF or Google Slides. In the desktop app, Chat and Work are being merged into one place, so the switch may disappear.
- Scheduled task — an instruction that runs by itself at a set time, like "every Monday at 8 a.m., give me the week's food news." Managed on the Scheduled page in the left sidebar (website and phone app, not the desktop app).
- Codex — a third view in the desktop app, for people who write software. Beginners can ignore it.
- Dot — an always-on helper OpenAI launched in late September 2026. Each one has its own cloud computer, connects to your apps and keeps working toward your goals after you close the chat, asking before sensitive steps. For Pro and Business Premium first; other plans later.
3Why you would want it
Chat gives you text; Work gives you a file. Ask for "a one-page price comparison of three flour suppliers as a spreadsheet" and come back to a spreadsheet. Scheduled tasks turn one good prompt into a habit without you remembering to ask.
4Try it now
- On a paid plan, click the Work switch at the top. Type: Make a one-page Word document: a simple weekly cleaning checklist for a small bakery kitchen, grouped by day. Approve its plan if it shows one, then wait.
- Switch back to Chat and type: Every Friday at 4 p.m., send me 3 ideas for a weekend bakery special.
- ChatGPT confirms the task. Click Scheduled in the left sidebar to see it listed.
5What you will see
In Work, a progress view showing steps (planning, drafting, formatting) and then a downloadable file in the chat. For the task, a small card confirming the schedule, and from then on a notification each Friday.
6Watch out
- Work is limited on Free and Go (desktop app only), has its own allowance on Plus and Pro, and eats that allowance quickly. On the desktop app it can open your files and, if you allow it, control your computer; keep the safer "ask me first" setting.
- The number of active tasks is capped by plan (only a few on Go, more on Plus, most on Pro; check the help pages). Tasks cannot use voice or GPTs, and each run counts toward your usage. Old tasks built for agent mode may silently stop working; check them.
7Go further
Try a Work job that reads one of your files and produces a chart. Then read Chapter 1.16 to learn how to ask so that any mode, Chat or Work, gives its best.