OpenAI deploys AI research intern

OpenAI has announced it has achieved a significant milestone in its AI development, successfully deploying an automated research intern capable of performing well-defined research tasks under human direction. This achievement, which includes tasks that would typically require several days of work from a skilled human researcher, meets a goal the company set in fall 2025 for September 2026. The company is also progressing toward its next major objective: creating a fully automated AI researcher by March 2028. This strategic direction, referred to as its "third phase," centers on building AI systems that can accelerate scientific and economic progress and eventually provide widely accessible personal artificial general intelligence (AGI). Internal data indicates a substantial increase in the use of AI agents within OpenAI's research operations. As of mid-August 2026, AI agents were performing an estimated 3.1 workdays of effort for every single workday of human labor. This represents a sharp acceleration from earlier in the year, when AI assistance was less prevalent.