What If Your AI Could Actually "Do" Things?

It’s the next step beyond chatbots, and it might change how we manage our daily lives.

I have a note on my phone called “Annoying Little Tasks.”

It’s a list of all the things I need to do but keep putting off. Things like:

• Find a new dentist that takes my insurance.
• Dispute that weird $12.99 charge from last month.
• Figure out flight options for that wedding in October.

We all have this list, right? It’s the mental clutter that eats up our bandwidth.

So I was reading this piece the other day about what OpenAI is working on next. And it’s not just another version of ChatGPT that can write a better poem or email.

They’re trying to build an AI that can actually do things for you.

From a Talker to a Doer

Right now, we use AI like a very smart, very fast intern. We ask it for ideas, we have it draft things for us, we use it to summarize long documents. But we’re still the ones who have to take its output and go do something with it.

The next step is to close that loop.

Instead of asking, “What are some good flights to Austin?” you could just say, “Book me a round-trip flight to Austin for the first weekend of next month. Aisle seat, please. Keep it under $400.”

And then… it just does it. It finds the flight, uses your payment info, books the ticket, and adds the confirmation to your calendar.

The goal is to build an AI agent. Not just a chatbot, but a true assistant that can navigate websites, fill out forms, and make decisions on your behalf.

Think about what that would mean for that "annoying tasks" list:

• “Find a plumber for my leaky sink.” The AI could search for top-rated plumbers in your area, check their availability, and schedule a time that works with your calendar.
• “Plan a weekend camping trip.” It could find an available campsite, check the weather, and create a packing list based on the forecast and activities.
• “Cancel my subscription to that streaming service I never use.” It could log into your account and navigate the cancellation process for you.

It’s a simple idea, but the technical challenge is huge.

Okay, But This Sounds a Little… Messy

It is. This isn’t a finished product. It’s a quest.

Making an AI that can reliably understand your intent and then operate the messy, unpredictable human internet is incredibly difficult. What if it books the wrong flight? What if it gives your personal information to the wrong site?

These are the massive hurdles they have to clear. It requires a level of trust we’ve never had to place in technology before. We’re not just giving it a question; we’re giving it our credit card and our calendar.

I’m not even sure I’d be ready to use it right away. It feels a bit strange to hand over the keys like that.

So, What’s the Point?

Honestly, the most interesting part isn't about being lazy. It’s about getting back our focus.

Every hour spent comparing flight prices or waiting on hold to cancel something is an hour not spent on work that matters, with people you love, or on hobbies that make you feel alive.

It’s about outsourcing the tedious stuff. The digital paperwork. The life admin.

I have no idea when this will be a real thing we can all use. It could be years away. But it’s fascinating to think about. An AI that doesn't just help you write the to-do list, but actually starts checking things off of it for you.

It’s a strange and interesting future to imagine.