Tech Desk 
Jul 19, 2025
Users of the company's new ChatGPT agent have been warned by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to use caution when using the technology, especially when handling private or sensitive information.
As OpenAI's first system built to manage multi-step tasks on its own, the ChatGPT agent can deconstruct requests into smaller steps, use external tools, and execute actions on its own.
The technology is still in its experimental stage and should not be used for high-risk or privacy-sensitive applications, Mr. Altman emphasised.
Altman stated, "We don't know exactly what the impacts are going to be, but bad actors may try to "trick" users' AI agents into giving them private information they shouldn't and doing things they shouldn't, in ways we can't predict."
The CEO specifically cautioned against using the agent for important or highly personal tasks, emphasising the dangers of giving an AI agent extensive permissions without sufficient supervision.
"We recommend giving agents the minimum access required to complete a task to reduce privacy and security risks," he said. "We think it's important to begin learning from contact with reality and that people adopt these tools carefully and slowly as we better quantify and mitigate the potential risks involved," Altman continued.
"As with other new levels of capability, society, the technology, and the risk mitigation strategy will need to co-evolve," he further added.
The CEO of OpenAI's warning emphasises the importance of exercising caution as AI technology develops further.
