OpenAI: When AI Agents Use Computers Faster Than You

AI agents are approaching a point where they can use computers faster than expert humans, turning the user interface itself into a universal way for AI to interact with software. OpenAI’s Ari Weinstein and James Sun argue that computer use is now entering its scaling moment, as better models, faster execution, and stronger safety controls make agents practical for more consumer and enterprise work. Ari and James join a16z’s Seema Amble and Fabrizio Serafini to explain how computer-using agents are already navigating legacy ERPs, reconciling financial data, handling procurement, and operating software without APIs or custom integrations. They also discuss why the harness around the model can matter as much as model intelligence, how enterprises can set deterministic guardrails around agent behavior, and why computer use could simultaneously extend the life of legacy software and accelerate the arrival of new AI-native applications. Looking ahead, they make the case for a more proactive and fluid relationship with computers, where agents work in the background, collaborate with users in real time, and increasingly adapt to us rather than requiring us to learn how to use them.