OpenAI says it has reached a milestone set last fall: an “automated research intern” able to perform well-defined research tasks under human direction by September 2026. OpenAI describes the system as completing research work that would typically take a skilled researcher several days, provided clear guidance from people.
OpenAI adds that it is continuing work toward a longer-term target of an “automated AI researcher” by March 2028. According to the company, research activity across categories has increased since the start of the year, reflecting ongoing progress toward these goals. The outlets reporting on the announcement focus on the same timeline and capability claims, with one emphasizing the achievement of the September 2026 intern milestone and the other highlighting the March 2028 “automated AI researcher” objective.
