WED, JULY 22, 2026
Independent · In‑Depth · Practitioner‑Tested
ChatGPT Agents

Best ChatGPT Prompts for Agents and Automation (2026)

ChatGPT Work and OpenAI Codex (with persistent cloud sessions after the Ona acquisition) are OpenAI's agentic products for 2026. ChatGPT with web search gives you a capable research agent. Codex handles persistent coding tasks. These prompts are optimised for ChatGPT Plus with Browse, ChatGPT Work, and the OpenAI Responses API with web search and computer use tools.

⌨️ 6 prompts 🕐 Updated Jul 22, 2026
💡 How to use these prompts: Replace everything in [BRACKETS] with your specific details before sending. Click Copy to copy any prompt to your clipboard instantly.
1
Web Research Agent
Run a comprehensive web research task with cited sources
Research [TOPIC] using web search. I need a comprehensive briefing covering: 1. Current state — what is happening right now 2. Key players and their positions 3. Recent developments in the last [TIMEFRAME] 4. Controversies or conflicting information 5. What to watch next Search multiple angles. Cite your sources inline. Flag where information conflicts between sources. Output as a structured briefing under 500 words.
2
Delegate to ChatGPT Work
Delegate a complete work task to ChatGPT Work
[USE IN CHATGPT WORK] Complete the following multi-step work task: Task: [DESCRIBE IN DETAIL] Files involved: [LIST ANY FILES OR APPS TO ACCESS] Expected output: [WHAT THE FINISHED WORK SHOULD LOOK LIKE] Deadline: [WHEN YOU NEED IT] Constraints: [ANYTHING TO AVOID OR KEEP] Work through this autonomously. Report progress at each major step. If you need clarification, ask one question at a time rather than stopping entirely.
3
Persistent Coding Task (Codex)
Run a persistent coding task that survives session interruptions
[USE WITH OPENAI CODEX] Implement the following feature. This task may take multiple sessions — continue from where you left off if interrupted. Feature: [DESCRIBE IN DETAIL] Repository context: [DESCRIBE OR LINK REPO] Requirements: [LIST] Tests required: [YES / NO] Definition of done: [HOW WE KNOW IT'S COMPLETE] Work autonomously. Commit logical units of work separately. Leave a progress note in AGENT_LOG.md after each session so you can resume.
4
Automate a Repetitive Workflow
Design and implement automation for any repetitive workflow
I have a repetitive workflow I want to automate. Current manual process: [DESCRIBE STEP BY STEP — e.g. read emails, extract data, update spreadsheet, send summary] Frequency: [HOW OFTEN THIS RUNS] Tools I use: [LIST APPS AND SERVICES] Please: 1. Identify which steps can be automated 2. Propose an automation architecture 3. Write the code or workflow logic for each automated step 4. Identify any steps that still require human judgment
5
Build a Data Pipeline
Build a complete data pipeline from source to output
Design and implement a data pipeline for the following requirement: Data source: [DESCRIBE INPUT — e.g. CSV files, API endpoint, database] Transformation needed: [WHAT TO DO WITH THE DATA] Output: [WHERE DATA GOES AND IN WHAT FORMAT] Frequency: [REAL-TIME / BATCH / ON-DEMAND] Volume: [APPROXIMATE DATA SIZE] Write the complete pipeline code in [PYTHON / NODE — specify]. Include error handling, logging, and retry logic.
6
Monitor and Alert
Build a monitoring and alerting system for any metric
Set up monitoring logic for the following: What to monitor: [DESCRIBE — e.g. website uptime, API response time, data quality, metric threshold] Alert condition: [WHEN TO TRIGGER — e.g. response time > 2s, error rate > 1%, value drops below X] Alert method: [EMAIL / SLACK / WEBHOOK — specify] Check frequency: [HOW OFTEN TO CHECK] Write the monitoring script in [PYTHON / NODE]. Include: the check logic, alert dispatch, a log entry for each check result, and exponential backoff on alert failure.