Latest news with #YashKumar
India.com
7 days ago
- Business
- India.com
Who is Yash Kumar? Brain behind OpenAI's ChatGPT Agent, not from IIT, IIM, VIT, NIT, studied from....
Who is Yash Kumar? Brain behind OpenAI's ChatGPT Agents, not from IIT, IIM, VIT, NIT, studied from.... OpenAI has rolled out a new feature in ChatGPT called the ChatGPT Agent which is designed to handle online tasks on its own, without needing you to constantly step in and give directions. This powerful tool is being developed under the leadership of an IIT Hyderabad graduate, Yash Kumar. The ChatGPT Agent can manage entire tasks from start to finish. Whether you need to plan your meals, book tickets, or get a summary of your upcoming meetings, the Agent can take care of all of it. What sets it apart is its ability to think, plan, and take action by itself. It works on a virtual computer and can use different tools like browsers, apps, and computer terminals to complete tasks just like a real assistant would. Yash Kumar's education and career at OpenAI Yash Kumar, who is originally Indian, studied Computer Science at IIIT Hyderabad, one of the country's top engineering institutes. He joined OpenAI in November 2023 and is currently working from the company's office in San Francisco. Before joining OpenAI, Yash spent eight years at Google as a software engineer. After that, he moved into leadership roles, first as Head of Engineering at Scratch, and later as a Director at DoorDash. His LinkedIn profile doesn't reveal much about him. ChatGPT Agent: A new smart helper from OpenAI OpenAI has introduced a new tool called the ChatGPT Agent, which is designed to help people with tasks from start to finish. This new tool brings together two earlier OpenAI experiments, one called Operator, which could browse the internet and do online tasks, and another called Deep Research, which helped with detailed analysis. Now, both of these features are combined into one powerful system. The ChatGPT Agent can do a lot more than just answer questions. It can visit websites, schedule meetings on your calendar, create slideshows and spreadsheets, and even write and run code safely on its own virtual computer. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman described it by saying, 'The Agent is a big step forward for AI. It can do some amazing and complex tasks using its own computer. It can think for a while, use tools, plan, act, and keep thinking—all without needing constant help.' One of the best parts is that you can work together with the Agent easily. If you change your mind while it's working, you can pause it, give new instructions, or ask it to do something differently. It won't lose the progress it already made. Also, if the Agent needs more details to do the task properly, it will ask you for help. If the task is taking too long or gets stuck, you can pause it, ask for an update, or stop it and still get part of the results. If you're using the ChatGPT app on your phone, you'll even get a notification when the task is done.
NDTV
19-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Meet Yash Kumar, The Lead Behind OpenAI's ChatGPT Agent That Works By Self
Yash Kumar's Chatgpt Agent 2025: OpenAI recently introduced a new capability in its chatbot ChatGPT - the ChatGPT Agent, which can semi-autonomously perform digital tasks without requiring constant user intervention. The project is currently being led by Yash Kumar, a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Hyderabad. The new ChatGPT Agent is designed to handle tasks from start to finish - whether it's preparing meal plans, booking tickets, or summarizing meetings on your calendar. The agent can think, plan, and act on the user's behalf using its own virtual computer. It switches between browsers, applications, and terminals to complete tasks end-to-end. The tool is now available to users, but it remains a work in progress and continues to be improved. All About Yash Kumar- Educational and Corporate Background Yash Kumar, an Indian-origin technologist, is a Member of Technical Staff at OpenAI's San Francisco headquarters and currently serves as the project lead for the ChatGPT Agent. He joined OpenAI in 2023 and previously worked at several well-known companies, including Google, where he spent eight years, and DoorDash. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from IIT Hyderabad in 2011. In his previous roles, Yash primarily led engineering teams - including serving as head of the merchant engineering division at DoorDash and overseeing engineering, product, and design teams at Scratch. While the ChatGPT Agent is nearly autonomous, it still requires user approval for high-stakes actions such as purchases or logging into certain websites.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Who is Yash Kumar, the project lead of OpenAI's ChatGPT Agent that can control your computer and do tasks for you
Yash Kumar ChatGPT Agent TL;DR OpenAI is developing an AI tool called ChatGPT Agents, designed to act as a virtual computer for automating various digital tasks. The project is headed by Yash Kumar , a Member of Technical Staff and Product Lead at OpenAI, an alumnus of IIIT Hyderabad. He has worked at Google for 8 years The tool can manage calendars, summarise meetings, plan meals, and perform other digital tasks, even running them in the background. ChatGPT Agents will seek user confirmation for critical actions. ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has announced an artificial intelligence (AI) tool, ChatGPT Agents, designed to function as a virtual computer capable of automating a wide array of digital tasks. ChatGPT Agents aim to extend beyond traditional browser interactions, allowing the AI to interact with an entire virtual operating system. However, apart from the automation of tasks, there's another interesting part of this announcement – the person who is leading the project. The project is said to be spearheaded by Yash Kumar, a Member of Technical Staff and Product Lead at OpenAI who recently demonstrated the tool's capabilities during a briefing with The Verge. Indian-origin engineer is heading ChatGPT Agents project at OpenAI Yash Kumar, an alumnus of IIIT Hyderabad – one of India's leading engineering institutions – joined OpenAI in November 2023. Based at the company's San Francisco headquarters, Kumar is now at the forefront of developing this ambitious new AI tool. His LinkedIn profile doesn't reveal much about him except that he worked in Google as software engineer for 8 years, and has also worked at DoorDash before joining the Sam Altman-led company. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo Speaking to The Verge, Kumar explained that the development team is currently 'optimising for hard tasks' to ensure a smoother user experience. The system is designed to execute digital tasks autonomously while still maintaining a crucial layer of user oversight. This means that the system will ask the user for confirmation before undertaking critical actions such as sending emails or booking appointments. Isa Fulford, who leads research on the ChatGPT Agent project, highlighted the system's ability to run tasks in the background. 'Even if it takes 15 minutes, half an hour, it's quite a big speed-up compared to how long it would take you to do it,' Fulford said, noting the convenience of 'kick[ing] something off in the background and then come back to it.' OpenAI says ChatGPT Agent system is fast and 'safe' OpenAI has incorporated security safeguards into the ChatGPT Agent system that were initially developed for models with 'high biological and chemical capabilities.' OpenAI stated that there is currently no "direct evidence that the model could meaningfully help a novice create severe biological or chemical harm." Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 1. What are ChatGPT Agents? ChatGPT Agents are OpenAI's new AI tool designed to act as a 'virtual computer.' They can perform a wide range of digital tasks automatically, interacting with a virtual operating system beyond just a web browser. 2. What kinds of tasks/ actions can ChatGPT Agents perform? ChatGPT Agents can manage calendars, summarise meetings, plan meals and handle various other digital tasks. 3. Who is leading the development of ChatGPT Agents? Yash Kumar, a Member of Technical Staff and Product Lead at OpenAI, is leading the development of ChatGPT Agents from OpenAI's San Francisco headquarters. 4. What safety measures are built into ChatGPT Agents? Yes, OpenAI has built strong security safeguards into the system. These protections were initially developed for handling models with 'high biological and chemical capabilities' to prevent misuse. 5. How do ChatGPT Agents interact with users for critical actions? While the system can automate tasks, it is designed to check with the user before performing critical actions, such as sending emails or booking appointments, ensuring user control. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Meet Yash Kumar, the IIITan behind ChatGPT's Agent that brings AI out of your screen into real life
OpenAI's latest AI tool, ChatGPT Agent, is being developed under the leadership of Yash Kumar , a Member of Technical Staff at the company. Yash, who is also the product lead for the project, demonstrated the tool's capabilities during a recent briefing with The Verge. ChatGPT Agent functions like a virtual computer and can perform a wide range of tasks, from managing calendars and summarising meetings to planning meals. Indian engineer heads key OpenAI product Yash Kumar studied Computer Science at IIIT Hyderabad , one of India's top engineering institutions. He joined OpenAI in November 2023 and now works out of the company's San Francisco headquarters. At OpenAI, Yash is leading the development of ChatGPT Agent, a tool that extends beyond the browser to interact with an entire virtual operating system. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Artificial Intelligence Others Cybersecurity healthcare Product Management Leadership Operations Management Healthcare Data Science MBA Digital Marketing Degree Project Management Public Policy others Technology Data Analytics Finance MCA Design Thinking CXO Data Science PGDM Management Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details 'Optimising for hard tasks' Speaking to The Verge, Yash said the team is now focused on 'optimising for hard tasks' so that users have a smoother experience. The product is designed to carry out digital tasks while still checking with the user before performing critical actions like sending emails or booking appointments. The system can run tasks in the background, allowing users to return to completed work later. Isa Fulford, who leads research on the project, said, 'Even if it takes 15 minutes, half an hour, it's quite a big speed-up compared to how long it would take you to do it. It's one of those things where you can kick something off in the background and then come back to it.' Strong safeguards built in OpenAI has built strong security safeguards into the ChatGPT Agent system. These protections were originally developed for handling models with 'high biological and chemical capabilities.' The company stated there is currently no 'direct evidence that the model could meaningfully help a novice create severe biological or chemical harm.' Live Events MORE STORIES FOR YOU ✕ « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to me They disrupt the reading flow Others SUBMIT Earlier this year, AI company Anthropic activated similar safeguards while launching Opus 4, part of its Claude model line. Like OpenAI, Anthropic said safety remains a priority as AI systems gain more advanced capabilities.
The Verge
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Verge
OpenAI's new ChatGPT Agent can control an entire computer and do tasks for you
OpenAI is going all-in on the most-hyped trend in AI right now: AI agents, or tools that go a step beyond chatbots to complete complex, multi-step tasks on a user's behalf. The company on Thursday debuted ChatGPT Agent, which it bills as a tool that can complete work on your behalf using its own 'virtual computer.' In a briefing and demo with The Verge, Yash Kumar and Isa Fulford — product lead and research lead on ChatGPT Agent, respectively — said it's powered by a new model that OpenAI developed specifically for the product. The company said the new tool can perform tasks like looking at a user's calendar to brief them on upcoming client meetings, planning and purchasing ingredients to make a family breakfast, and creating a slide deck based on its analysis of competing companies. The model behind ChatGPT Agent, which has no specific name, was trained on complex tasks that require multiple tools — like a text browser, visual browser, and terminal where users can import their own data — via reinforcement learning, the same technique used for all of OpenAI's reasoning models. OpenAI said that ChatGPT Agent combines the capabilities of both Operator and Deep Research, two of its existing AI tools. To develop the new tool, the company combined the teams behind both Operator and Deep Research into one unified team. Kumar and Fulford told The Verge that the new team is made up of between 20 and 35 people across product and research. In the demo, Kumar and Fulford demonstrated potential use cases for ChatGPT Agent, like asking it to plan a date night by connecting to Google Calendar to see when the user has a free evening, and then cross-referencing OpenTable to find openings at certain types of restaurants. They also showed how a user could interrupt the process by adding, say, another restaurant category to search for. Another demonstration showed how ChatGPT Agent could generate a research report on the rise of Labubus versus Beanie Babies. Fulford said she enjoyed using it for online shopping because the combination of tech behind Deep Research and Operator worked better and was more thorough than trying the process solely using Operator. And Kumar said he had begun using ChatGPT Agent to automate small parts of his life, like requesting new office parking at OpenAI every Thursday instead of showing up Monday having forgotten to request it with nowhere to park. Kumar said that since ChatGPT Agent has access to 'an entire computer' instead of just a browser, they've 'enhanced the toolset quite a bit.' According to the demo, though, the tool can be a bit slow. When asked about latency, Kumar said their team is more focused on 'optimizing for hard tasks' and that users aren't meant to sit and watch ChatGPT Agent work. 'Even if it takes 15 minutes, half an hour, it's quite a big speed-up compared to how long it would take you to do it,' Fulford said, adding that OpenAI's search team is more focused on low-latency use cases. 'It's one of those things where you can kick something off in the background and then come back to it.' Before ChatGPT Agent does anything 'irreversible,' like sending an email or making a booking, it asks for permission first, Fulford said. Since the model behind the tool has increased capabilities, OpenAI said it has activated the safeguards it created for 'high biological and chemical capabilities,' even though the company said it does not have 'direct evidence that the model could meaningfully help a novice create severe biological or chemical harm' in the form of weapons. Anthropic in May activated similar safeguards for its launch of one of its Claude models, Opus 4. When asked about whether the tool is permitted to perform financial transactions, Kumar said those actions have been restricted 'for now,' and that there's an additional protection called Watch Mode, wherein if a user navigates to a certain category of webpages, like financial sites, they must not navigate away from the tab ChatGPT Agent is operating in or the tool will stop working. OpenAI will start rolling out the tool today to Pro, Plus, and Team users — pick 'agent mode' in the tools menu or type '/agent' to access it — and the company said it will make it available to ChatGPT Enterprise and Education users later this summer. There's no rollout timeline yet for the European Economic Area and Switzerland. The concept of AI agents has been a buzzworthy trend in the industry for years. The ideal developers are working toward is something like Iron Man's J.A.R.V.I.S., a tool that can perform specific job functions, check people's calendars for the best time to schedule an event, purchase a gift based on a friend's preferences, and more, but at the moment, they're somewhat limited to assisting with coding and compiling research reports. The term 'AI agent' became more common to investors and tech executives in 2023 and quickly picked up speed, especially after fintech company Klarna announced in February 2024 that in just one month of operation, its own AI agent had handled two-thirds of its customer service chats — the equivalent of 700 full-time human workers. From there, executives at Amazon, Meta, Google, and more started mentioning their AI agent goals on earnings call after earnings call. And since then, AI companies have been strategically hiring to reach those goals: Google, for instance, last week hired Windsurf's CEO, co-founder and some R&D team members to help further its agentic AI projects. OpenAI's debut of ChatGPT Agent follows its January release of Operator, which the company billed as 'an agent that can go to the web to perform tasks for you' since it was trained to be able to handle the internet's buttons, text fields and more. It's also part of a larger trend in AI, as companies large and small chase AI agents that will capture the attention of consumers and ideally become habits. Last October, Anthropic, the Amazon-backed AI startup behind Claude, released a similar tool called 'Computer Use,' which it billed as a tool that could use a computer the same way a human can in order to complete tasks on a user's behalf. Multiple AI companies, including OpenAI, Google and Perplexity, also offer an AI tool that all three have dubbed Deep Research, denoting an AI agent that can write sizable analyses and research reports on anything a user wants.
