OpenAI on Thursday said that it is releasing a digital assistant that can autonomously complete online searches and purchases for travel, events, restaurants, and more.
Want to go to a concert or make a restaurant reservation on your next trip? Tell OpenAI what you want and it will pull together options and take care of booking. It’s a big leap forward with a lot of implications for existing travel firms.
The new tool, called Operator, is the first version of the digital assistant that travel leaders have been envisioning since ChatGPT was first released.
It’s also the type of tool that industry leaders warn could circumvent and displace intermediaries and online travel agencies like Booking.com and Expedia.
Operator will live at operator.chatgpt.com.
It works by taking control of a remote browser shown within the Operator window, and completing tasks as a human would. Because it’s connected to a remote browser, the user can make other prompts or do other computer tasks while Operator is working.
Operator can complete tasks in several categories listed on the homepage, including Travel and Dining & Events.
The company said it has partnered with a number of third-party companies, like OpenTable and StubHub, to make sure Operator can access data from those websites.
During the demo on Thursday, OpenAI representatives prompted Operator to complete several tasks at the same time: An event ticket booking through StubHub, food delivery through DoorDash, grocery delivery through Instacart, and housecleaning reservation through Thumbtack. The tool was also able to complete a Google search to check reservation availability for a tennis court.
Though travel is listed as a category, the live demo did not include that topic.
The tool is live today for Pro users ($200 monthly subscription) in the U.S. Plus users ($20 monthly subscription) will have access next.
OpenAI says it has built in safeguards against completing illegal activities, falling for scams, and purchasing the wrong items. As part of those safeguards, it confirms with the user before completing purchases.
The company emphasized that the tool will make mistakes at this point.
Restaurant Booking
When clicking on the Dining & Events category, several pre-filled prompts show up. “Reserve a table for 8 at a seafood restaurant next Friday at 6PM.”
The demo walked viewers through making a restaurant reservation through OpenTable.
The user started with the prompt: “Book me a table for two at Beretta tonight. At 7pm.”
Based on the prompt, it autonomously completed the search on the OpenTable website, recording each action it took. It also automatically narrowed its search to the San Francisco area, based on the user’s default location.
It returned with the response: “The closest available time for a reservation at Beretta tonight is 7:45 PM. Would you like me to book this time for you?”
User: “Yes that’s great let’s do it.”
Operator: “The reservation details for Beretta are ready to be confirmed. Should I proceed with completing the reservation?” That slot was booked before the user confirmed, so then the chatbot suggested other times before completing the reservation.
The entire task took less than one minute.
Event Booking Demo
The prompt: “Can you get us four tickets for the warriors game this weekend in SF? Best seats under $500 please. Give us a few options.”
The Operator returned with four seating options and a stadium map.
The user clicked on the preferred option, and then the Operator asked for confirmation to complete the purchase, which required the user logging in to StubHub through the Operator window.
