How to Use ChatGPT’s Agent Mode (and Why It Changes What AI Can Do for You)
Including step-by-step instructions and prompts.
I’m in a Berlin co-working café, glancing at the screen next to me, a person using ChatGPT like most people still do: one-off prompts. Summarize this. Fix that.
Will this be obsolete in a near future?
Until recently, AI agents were clunky, abstract, reserved for developers or no-code neirds (like me). But on July 17, OpenAI changed that with the release of Agent Mode in ChatGPT.
If you’re on ChatGPT Plus, you’ll see a new option—“Agent”—in your tools. That one button unlocks a major shift: from conversational to agentic AI. From a tool that responds to one that acts.
This guide shows you how to use it.
Inside, you’ll get:
A plain-language breakdown of what Agent Mode actually does and what it can mean for your daily work
Four field-tested workflows to help you research faster, practice smarter, pressure-test strategies, and run complex projects
Copy-and-paste prompts you can adapt to your context (no coding needed)
The thinking behind the workflows so you understand not just how to use Agent Mode, but why it works
What ChatGPT Agent Mode Can Do (And What It Means for You)
Agent Mode is an upgrade to how you work with AI. Instead of stopping at single answers, it can carry out multi-step tasks, remember context, and act on the web by clicking buttons, filling forms, or navigating pages. It reads and analyzes uploaded files, creates visual outputs like charts and structured reports, and integrates with your tools such as Gmail, Google Calendar, or SharePoint through so-called connectors.
You stay in control, with approvals built in before key actions happen. It folds earlier tools like Deep Research and Operator into one streamlined, virtual computer. And it’s apparently also more effective: OpenAI reports a 17.4% boost in web browsing performance.
This transforms ChatGPT from a smart assistant to a digital operator across workflows that previously required multiple tools and human coordination.
But there’s a tradeoff.
The Memory Paradox
The rise of agentic systems coincides with rising concerns about cognitive offloading, our increasing tendency to outsource memory and mental effort to machines. In The Memory Paradox (Oakley et al., 2025), researchers warn that over-reliance on digital tools can impair deep learning. When we skip retrieval and rehearsal, knowledge stays shallow. Our thinking dulls.
The solution isn’t to reject AI altogether, but to use it deliberately. Build workflows that complement your brain, not replace it. Here’s how
4 Workflows for Agentic AI
These four workflows are field-tested and anchored in the science of how we think, learn, and create. Each one is practical and based on research-backed learning principles.