Dots are paywalled: cheapest plan with a Dot is Pro 100 at $100/mo

#What happened

OpenAI has gated its new always-on Dots agents behind paid ChatGPT plans. The cheapest eligible tier is Pro 100 at $100/month; Business Premium seats ($125/user/month on monthly billing) also qualify, and Enterprise/Edu/Healthcare workspaces can enable a beta via admins. Free, Go, and Plus subscribers are locked out, and Pro users in the UK, Switzerland, and the EEA can't get Dots at launch. Each Dot runs on the GPT-6 Astra model with its own cloud computer and browser, connects to 4,000+ apps via plugins, and takes instructions through Slack and Microsoft Teams. The first Dot is included at no extra cost; OpenAI has not named a price for additional dots. Chats with a dot don't count toward ChatGPT usage limits, but the tasks it runs draw on plan allowances. CEO Sam Altman said the agents "use a lot of compute" and promised a mass-market version: "You should of course expect us to do a mass-market [product] for billions of people someday."

#Why it matters

OpenAI is monetizing Dots from day one at a $100/mo floor — a premium-first strategy that contrasts with Meta's Muse, which is free to start in the US and Canada. The gating makes Dots a retention and upsell lever for Pro plans, but it also caps reach while rivals give agents away free.