OpenAI launches ChatGPT Work & GPT-5.6 in Australia

OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Work and the GPT-5.6 model family, with both now rolling out in Australia as part of a global release.

ChatGPT Work is a new agent inside ChatGPT that can work across apps and files and produce documents, spreadsheets, presentations and web apps. It is designed to stay on complex projects for hours and draw context from selected workflows and files.

The launch also brings Chat, Work and Codex together in a new desktop app for Mac and Windows. The app is available to all users, including those on the free tier. Work on web and mobile is being introduced first for Pro, Enterprise and Edu users, with Plus and Business to follow.

A unified plugins directory will connect ChatGPT with tools including Slack, Gmail, Google Drive, calendars and customer relationship management systems. The desktop version also adds an in-app browser and a feature called Computer Use, while Scheduled Tasks is aimed at recurring work.

The new service is built on GPT-5.6, OpenAI's latest model family, which includes Sol, Terra and Luna. In ChatGPT, Plus, Pro, Business and Enterprise users will be able to access GPT-5.6 Sol through medium and higher effort settings, while Pro and Enterprise users can also choose GPT-5.6 Pro for more demanding tasks.

OpenAI is framing the move around growing use of AI for workplace tasks in Australia. Nearly 40% of consumer ChatGPT messages from Australia are classified as work-related, while weekly ChatGPT usage in the country has risen by more than 30% year on year.

The company also said Codex usage in Australia has increased sixfold since January, with more than 40% of Australian Codex requests now related to non-coding tasks. Those figures suggest OpenAI is trying to widen its appeal beyond software development into office work, business analysis and project coordination.

Australian market

Australia has become one of OpenAI's stronger consumer markets, ranking in its top five by share of weekly active consumer users on paid plans, according to the company. That makes the country an important testing ground for products designed to push ChatGPT beyond question-and-answer use cases.

Satya Tammareddy, Head of Go-to-Market for OpenAI in Australia, said the figures reflect a shift in local demand.

"We're seeing a clear shift in how Australians use AI. Nearly 40% of ChatGPT conversations here are now work-related, and Codex usage has grown more than sixfold this year as people increasingly look to AI to help complete work, not just answer questions. ChatGPT Work brings those capabilities together in one experience, making powerful AI agents accessible to more people. It's designed to help Australians move from an idea to a finished outcome faster, whether that's analysing data, creating presentations, coordinating work across apps, or tackling projects that would normally take hours," Tammareddy said.

ChatGPT Work reflects a broader industry push to build AI products that can complete multi-step tasks rather than simply respond to prompts. OpenAI said the product improves ChatGPT's ability to reason through those tasks and create materials that follow templates and reference files.

The service also launches with an "ultra mode" setting that coordinates multiple agents in parallel. OpenAI said it improves output quality across documents, spreadsheets and presentations, and strengthens computer-use functions.

Model rollout

Alongside the agent product, OpenAI is introducing Sol, Terra and Luna across ChatGPT, Codex and its application programming interface. Sol is the flagship model in the GPT-5.6 family, while Terra is positioned for everyday work and Luna for lower-cost use.

Tammareddy also linked the release to demand from Australian businesses and founders.

"Australia is also home to some of the world's most ambitious companies and entrepreneurs. With our Sol, Terra, and Luna models and ChatGPT Work now available here, they can access the latest level of AI capability. GPT-5.6 Sol delivers leading intelligence and efficiency across coding, knowledge work, cybersecurity, and science, using fewer tokens at a lower estimated cost," Tammareddy said.

The announcement follows OpenAI's introduction of ChatGPT-Live, a voice system now used in ChatGPT Voice, as the company expands the product into a broader workplace platform spanning text, coding, voice and software actions. OpenAI said Australia is a top-five market by share of weekly active consumer users on paid plans.