CopilotKit Open-Sources OpenDuet, a Self-Hosted Proactive AI Coworker
CopilotKit has released OpenDuet, an open-source, self-hostable template for a proactive AI agent and an open alternative to Claude Duet.
It works with any agent framework, asks for approval before sensitive actions, and runs on web, mobile and chat apps.
Most AI assistants wait for you to speak first. OpenDuet is built to do the opposite: tell you what needs your attention today, then keep working on the rest.
CopilotKit released the project on October 27. It is open source, self-hostable, and pitched as a template for a proactive AI coworker, an open alternative to Claude Duet.
What it actually does
According to CopilotKit, OpenDuet lives in one ongoing thread. Each morning it sends a short brief that separates what needs you from what can wait. It checks connected apps in the background and only pings you when something matters. You can hand it tasks by typing or by voice, such as scheduling a meeting, drafting a reply or building a dashboard, and it keeps going after you close the app.
It can also get a computer of its own, with a browser, so work continues while your laptop is off. The repository says it can be used on the web, on mobile, in Slack or in Microsoft Teams.
Ask first, act second
Before it sends a message, pays an invoice or deletes anything, OpenDuet shows the draft and waits. You can allow once, always allow, or refuse. CopilotKit stresses that sensitive actions always need approval.
For teams thinking about putting agents into real workflows, that matters more than raw capability. Plenty of assistants are capable; far fewer are ones you would trust near email and payments.
A template, not a turnkey suite
OpenDuet is built on CopilotKit's AG-UI protocol, so you can bring any agent framework and any model, and change the interface and skills freely. The repo is MIT-licensed. There is a catch, though: you supply your own model key, and you also need a free CopilotKit Intelligence project to store threads and memory. "Self-hosted" here does not yet mean fully independent of CopilotKit's services.
The company is upfront that this is an early, single-owner starting point. Buzz around it is high, but it is best treated as developer scaffolding: change the interface, wire in your own tools, then decide what is worth interrupting you for. If you try it, start with a read-only mailbox and calendar and get the approval flow working before granting more autonomy.