OpenAI's always-on 'Dots' agents raise privacy and compute cost concerns

At its DevDay event on September 29, OpenAI introduced Dots, agents that run continuously in the cloud, each with its own computer and browser, and connect to many apps through plugins. Users can control when the agent acts alone or asks first, and sensitive actions such as changing passwords remain with the user. Critics such as Signal president Meredith Whittaker argue that deep access to personal data creates privacy and security risks, including exposure of third parties who never consented to an AI reading their messages. Because always-on agents are computationally expensive, OpenAI is also routing some work to a smaller, cheaper model, while companies report AI spending well above their budgets. Experts suggest granting access gradually and treating agent permissions as an architecture decision involving least privilege and cost controls.