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Background and Context

Agentic tasks require AI to operate with minimal human intervention, handling multi-step processes like booking flights, filling forms, or managing files. OpenAI, known for ChatGPT, launched Operator in January 2025, powered by the Computer-Using Agent (CUA) model, which integrates GPT-4o’s vision capabilities with reinforcement learning for GUI interactions . Anthropic, backed by Amazon and focused on AI safety, introduced Computer Use in October 2024, enabling its Claude 3.5 Sonnet model to control computers via GUI, covering both web and desktop applications .

Benchmark Analysis

To evaluate performance, we rely on two key benchmarks: WebVoyager and OSWorld, both designed for testing AI agents in real-world scenarios.

• WebVoyager Benchmark: This tests web navigation across 15 popular websites, with 586 diverse tasks. According to MIT Technology Review, Operator (CUA) scores 87%, while Computer Use scores 56%. This significant gap suggests Operator is more effective for web-based agentic tasks. An unexpected detail is that an open-source project, Browser Use, claims 89.1% on WebVoyager (Browser Use = state of the art Web Agent), but it’s not directly from Anthropic or OpenAI, so it doesn’t affect this comparison.
• OSWorld Benchmark: This benchmark, detailed in GitHub – xlang-ai/OSWorld, assesses 369 tasks involving real web and desktop apps, OS file I/O, and multi-app workflows across Ubuntu, Windows, and macOS. The same MIT Technology Review article reports CUA scoring 38.1% compared to Computer Use’s 22.0%, with humans achieving 72.4%. This indicates Operator’s underlying model (CUA) outperforms in a broader context, including desktop tasks, despite Operator being primarily marketed for web tasks.

Below is a table summarizing the benchmark results:

Detailed Capabilities and Use Cases

• OpenAI’s Operator: Launched on January 24, 2025, for ChatGPT Pro subscribers in the US at $200/month, Operator uses CUA to perform web tasks like booking flights or ordering groceries . User experiences, such as on , show it can book flights with some back-and-forth, but it’s limited to web interactions. An unexpected detail is that CUA, the model behind Operator, is tested on OSWorld, suggesting potential for desktop tasks, though Operator itself is web-focused.
• Anthropic’s Computer Use: Available in beta via Anthropic’s API, Amazon Bedrock, and Google Cloud’s Vertex AI since October 2024, Computer Use allows Claude 3.5 Sonnet to control both web and desktop GUIs. User feedback, like on , highlights its potential for tasks like flight booking but notes high costs and rate limit issues, with scores of around $5 for complex tasks. It’s designed for flexibility, potentially better for desktop-specific needs, but benchmarks show it lags behind Operator.

Strengths and Weaknesses

• OpenAI’s Operator Strengths: Higher benchmark scores (87% WebVoyager, 38.1% OSWorld) indicate better performance for web and general tasks. Continuous updates and integration with ChatGPT Pro suggest scalability. However, its $200/month price and US-only availability limit accessibility.
• Anthropic’s Computer Use Strengths: Focus on ethics and safety, with built-in safeguards, may appeal to users prioritizing responsible AI . Its ability to handle both web and desktop could be advantageous for diverse tasks, but lower benchmark scores (56% WebVoyager, 22.0% OSWorld) and reported errors (e.g., slower, more prone to failures) are drawbacks

User Experiences and Practical Considerations

User experiences are limited but insightful. For Operator, Reddit posts like show successful flight bookings with some user intervention, while for Computer Use,demonstrates flight searches but with cost concerns and beta limitations. Both tools are experimental, with Operator’s higher cost ($200/month) versus Computer Use’s beta accessibility being key factors .

Conclusion and Future Outlook

Based on current benchmarks, OpenAI’s Operator outperforms Anthropic’s Computer Use for agentic tasks, with superior scores in both web (WebVoyager) and general computer tasks (OSWorld). However, Anthropic’s focus on ethics and desktop flexibility could be crucial for specific use cases. Both are evolving rapidly, and future updates may shift the landscape. As of March 12, 2025, for users prioritizing performance, OpenAI seems the better choice, but for ethics or desktop needs, Anthropic warrants consideration.

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