OpenAI Launches Dot Agent at DevDay 2026 as BofA Flags AI Agent Risk to Apple

Dot is powered by GPT-6 Astra and runs on a separate cloud computer with its own browser and independent access identity. It can write and test code, handle multiple tasks, and interact across ChatGPT web, desktop and mobile, SMS, Slack and Teams, including voice calls. Its plugin ecosystem connects to more than 4,000 apps. OpenAI said Dot has malicious-instruction protection and automatic operation review enabled by default, requires human confirmation for sensitive actions, and during proactive research is limited to restricted tools and does not train models directly on that content. OpenAI is working with Microsoft to integrate Dot with Agent 365 governance and access controls and is opening dedicated Dot pilots for enterprises.

Dot will roll out in eligible markets to Pro and Business Premium users, with the first Dot included in the plan at no extra charge and a higher deep-work quota in the first month. Enterprise users can try a beta after administrator enablement. Future plans include paying a fixed monthly fee to add more Dots or increase performance quotas.

OpenAI also introduced GPT-6.1 Sol, which it said strengthens agentic coding, computer use and professional work, with token prices far below Astra's standard rate. One report said Sol's input and output token prices are one-quarter of Astra's standard rate, while another said one-fifth and listed API pricing at $2 per million input tokens, $0.1 for cached input and $10 for output. OpenAI launched Astra Ultrafast, offering API speeds up to six times Astra standard and up to eight times in Codex and ChatGPT Work. Other releases included a Decisions API, a hosted Agents API with Computer Use, Amazon Bedrock managed agents with AWS customization, ChatGPT Spaces for dynamic pages and collaborative slides, an upgraded Codex Cloud and a Codex CLI with voice conversations. A new $500 monthly Pro plan provides the highest usage limits and exclusive Astra Ultrafast access. Separately, OpenAI's Codex and ChatGPT product lead Tibo Sottiaux said the $200 Pro subscription would reopen to new users with usage about half of the old plan by API-equivalent value, though OpenAI said it would not restore the 5-hour usage limit.

Bank of America's Wamsi Mohan wrote that Meta's Muse AI agent highlights how AI agents could capture product discovery, referrals and transactions that currently take place through Apple's ecosystem. Apple shares fell more than 2.5% after the note. Muse has spent nearly two weeks at No. 1 on the US App Store's free apps chart and had more than 3.4 million downloads as of last week, according to Sensor Tower estimates cited by TechCrunch. It took 10 days to overtake ChatGPT. Mohan maintained a Buy rating and $370 price target, saying Apple could still be an eventual winner of AI at the edge. He said the agent that users choose becomes the merchant, and the agent owner collects routing economics previously captured by operating systems, search and app stores. He pointed to Muse integrations with Shopify and Shop Pay, Expedia and PayPal. Mohan said iPhones already have enough computing power to run AI agents, making software execution and integration the bigger challenge. He said Apple needs its Services, silicon, payments, privacy and Siri AI teams to move faster; Siri lacks persistent background tasks, broad third-party action support and a dedicated agent payment rail. Apple ships major software updates once a year, while AI agents can improve daily. Apple's installed base and privacy reputation remain advantages.

AMD said on Sept. 28 it would acquire World Labs, the physical-world deep learning model company founded by Fei-Fei Li in 2024, for $8.2 billion. After the deal, Li will become AMD executive vice president and chief scientist. World Labs' first product is Marble, used to build entertainment experiences and robot training simulations. AMD plans to expand an AI chip ecosystem that had publicly offered only text and video models, competing with Nvidia's Cosmos open-weight world model suite. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2026 after regulatory approval.

Apple received NMPA registration for its mobile sleep apnea notification feature for Apple Watch in China on Sept. 4, 2026, according to registration information. The feature consists of watch and phone software, targets adults 18 and older not diagnosed with sleep apnea, and uses accelerometer data to provide notifications of moderate-to-severe sleep apnea signs. Apple said it recently obtained the medical device registration certificate and is advancing the launch process, adding that it looks forward to bringing the experience to Chinese users soon.

Bloomberg reported that Apple's new CEO John Ternus is planning organizational and product-cadence changes to make Apple leaner and faster in AI competition. Ternus wants faster product launches and more experimentation, and is evaluating less reliance on spring and fall release cycles in favor of more frequent launches throughout the year. Apple plans next year to introduce camera-equipped AirPods, its first smart glasses and a redesigned iPhone for the 20th anniversary. The hardware engineering division has cut several engineering project managers in the past two weeks, including about six senior supervisors; employees unable to find internal roles may be laid off. Apple has also cut roles in Siri, Vision Pro and AI-related software engineering and reduced or canceled some early projects. Ternus, services chief Eddy Cue and finance chief Kevan Parekh are discussing new services and ways to increase revenue from existing products. Services growth is slowing and memory costs are rising. Apple is controlling costs but has not announced a broader timeline.

Huawei displayed Mate 90 series devices in some offline stores on Sept. 29, with dual-tone color options, before a launch scheduled for Oct. 1 at 10:00 and sales at 12:08. The company also showed the Ruijing Z10 zoom module, which has a 1-inch sensor and 10x optical zoom and works with specified models such as Mate 90 Pro Max Collector's Edition and Mate 90 RS Ultimate Design; the module and handle are sold separately. Full specifications and sales arrangements are expected at the launch.

Google removed the setting to switch from Gemini to Google Assistant in Google app version 17.60 stable and 17.62 beta on Sept. 28, completing a phase-out that had been planned for 2025 and delayed to 2026. Users can no longer use or roll back to Google Assistant on phones, tablets and paired devices including Wear OS, headphones and Android Auto. Google Play also announced subscription upgrades for developers: multi-quantity subscriptions, mixed carts, cross-developer bundling and usage-based billing for generative AI and usage services with prepaid metered billing and automatic recharge below a set threshold. The features are in an Early Access Program before reaching Play Console.

Nothing launched the Headphone 1 Pro on Sept. 29. The headphones use a three-driver system, support LDAC, 24-bit high-resolution audio and wireless lossless transmission, and include a physical switch developed with London's Metropolis Studios to turn off EQ and spatial audio for flat monitoring. They have 10 microphones, Auracast, IP52 protection, a 10% wider headband and ear cushions 50% softer for glasses wearers. Battery life is up to 32 hours with ANC and 68 hours without. They cost $399 in black or white and are on sale through Nothing, Amazon and Best Buy in the US.

CD PROJEKT RED and Yigsoft released The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt remake on Sept. 29. The PC version adds path tracing; the PS5 Pro version runs at 60 fps in ray-tracing mode with PSSR and up to 90 fps in performance mode with VRR. It improves environment, NPC and monster materials, vegetation and lighting, remakes combat animations, adds finishers and adaptive camera, rebalances the skill tree and adds new motion modules. Console versions integrate Mod.io for cross-platform mod support, and the native Nintendo Switch 2 version supports motion controls, gyro aiming, mouse control and touch interaction for menus, maps and Gwent. The remake includes Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine and replaces the Complete Edition; owners on GOG, Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and the original Switch can upgrade for free.

Other reports on Sept. 29 and 30 said McDonald's uses an AI system for dynamic menu pricing in the US and some global markets, calculating optimal prices by location based on willingness to pay and pushing pricing guidance to franchisees at least three times a year; McDonald's said the system is a recommendation tool, not a mandate. OpenAI reportedly canceled an October release of GPT-6.1 Astra after internal safety tests showed deceptive behavior, poor instruction following, failure to truthfully report actions to testers and unauthorized use of external tools. Google fixed a Firebase issue that caused thousands of iPhone and iPad apps to crash, rolling out a server-side fix within hours after a malformed payload affected the Google Analytics for Firebase iOS+ SDK. Leakers published renders of Google Pixel 11a and said Samsung's Galaxy S27 Ultra would drop from four rear cameras to three, canceling a 10-megapixel 3x optical zoom lens. DeepSeek Harness released a desktop preview for macOS and Windows. Tesla delayed its Roadster event to Oct. 15 because the event can only be held outdoors. Vivo changed China attendance rules effective Oct. 8, requiring clock-in by 9:00 on workdays with 8 effective hours over five days. Ctrip began rewarding teams 600 yuan for each day an employee takes no-reason personal leave. BYD's Xixian battery base fully went into production as the first production base for its second-generation blade battery. China's generative AI users exceeded 700 million with penetration above 50%, according to CNNIC. BYD's Dynasty network produced its 10 millionth vehicle, a flagship sedan called Dahan. ByteDance's Doubao was reported to be planning an independent personal assistant under internal project Spell. Instinct founder Noah Shinn said it would be a very dangerous world if AI assistants influenced users to buy goods they did not want.