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# Operator traces in ChatGPT’s Mac app, found by @testingcatalog — confirmed

@testingcatalog, crediting @M1Astra, flagged Operator on Jan 20, 2025. OpenAI launched it on Jan 23.

Leaked on 20 January 2025

![Evidence tray card: Operator traces in ChatGPT’s Mac app, found by @testingcatalog — confirmed](https://leakly.com/assets/og/chatgpt-operator-traces.png)

On Jan 20, 2025, @testingcatalog posted that @M1Astra had found traces of Operator in the ChatGPT macOS app, describing something users could toggle on.

> **🚨 AI News | TestingCatalog** @testingcatalog
>
> BREAKING 🚨: First traces of the Operator have been spotted on the ChatGPT app for macOS by @M1Astra
> It hints to be something that you can toggle but also may need to shut down manually 👀
> It may be similar to "Computer Use". Big. https://t.co/poMAyB7Xbu https://t.co/sBw5AMDv4G
>
> 104 likes · 5 reposts · counts as of 09 Nov 2026, 07:12 UTC
>
> — 🚨 AI News | TestingCatalog (@testingcatalog) [January 20, 2025](https://twitter.com/testingcatalog/status/1881312379952402666)

not in our leaker index

On Jan 23, OpenAI launched a research preview of Operator, an agent that can control a web browser, for US users on the $200 Pro plan first, [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/23/openai-launches-operator-an-ai-agent-that-performs-tasks-autonomously/) reported.

Confirmed. Credit for the find goes to @M1Astra.

[Confirmed]

## What happened later

Confirmed: launched Jan 23, 2025.

## Sources

* [Original X post by @testingcatalog](https://x.com/testingcatalog/status/1881312379952402666)
* [TechCrunch — OpenAI launches Operator, an AI agent that performs tasks autonomously](https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/23/openai-launches-operator-an-ai-agent-that-performs-tasks-autonomously/)

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