A team at Hugging Face has released a freely available, cloud-hosted AI “agent” called Open Computer Agent. This innovative tool simulates human-computer interactions within a Linux virtual machine preloaded with applications such as Firefox. Similar to OpenAI’s Operator, users can issue natural language commands — for example, “Use Google Maps to find the Hugging Face HQ in Paris” — and the agent will execute the required steps.

How does the Open Computer Agent work?

Open Computer Agent is designed to perform basic digital tasks by interpreting and executing user prompts. It can open applications, navigate user interfaces, and click through elements in a browser or other software. While the tool is promising, its current version has some limitations, such as difficulty handling CAPTCHAs and more complex, multi-step operations.

Users should also note that access to the agent may involve waiting in a virtual queue, which can vary from seconds to several minutes depending on demand.

Key Features of Open Computer Agent

• Runs in a Linux-based virtual machine.
• Preloaded with standard apps like Firefox.
• Accepts natural language commands.
• Performs basic web navigation and clicking.
• May struggle with CAPTCHAs and complex workflows.

The Vision Behind the Project

Rather than aiming for a fully mature AI agent, the Hugging Face team’s goal is to demonstrate the increasing capabilities of open-source AI models and their affordability when run on cloud infrastructure. As Aymeric Roucher, a member of the agents team, shared, recent advances in vision models enable them to power agentic workflows by precisely identifying and interacting with elements in a user interface.

The interest in AI agents continues to grow. According to a recent KPMG survey, 65% of companies are currently experimenting with AI agents, and Markets and Markets projects the sector will expand significantly — from $7.84 billion in 2025 to $52.62 billion by 2030.