OpenAI is introducing new features to its Responses API specifically designed for long-running AI agents. This update brings three main capabilities: server-side compression, which enables agent sessions to last for hours without exceeding context limits; controlled internet access for OpenAI-hosted containers, allowing the installation of libraries and execution of scripts; and "Skills": reusable packages of instructions, scripts, and files that agents can invoke and execute on demand.

Skills serve as an intermediate layer between system prompts and tools. Instead of cramming lengthy workflows into every prompt, developers can package them as versioned bundles that are launched only when needed. They are distributed as ZIP files, support version management, and can be run via the API in both hosted and local containers. OpenAI recommends building skills such as small command-line utilities and pinning specific versions for production environments.