Shield, a technology company specializing in IT services, has integrated OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra into its Forge platform to streamline operations in legacy portals. The innovation allows IT technicians to delegate routine browser-based tasks to AI agents, freeing them to focus on more complex issues requiring human judgment.
Addressing Access Bottlenecks
For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), outsourced IT providers often handle a wide range of technical issues, from locked accounts to misconfigured firewalls. However, legacy systems without modern APIs have traditionally required manual intervention, creating delays. Shield's Forge platform, an AI operating system for IT services, now uses GPT-6 Astra to navigate these older systems autonomously, eliminating the need for technicians to log in and complete tasks manually.
"The only time you should have to bring in a human technician is if you need their judgment, not because you’re blocked on access," said Mayank Jain, Head of Technology at Shield.
How GPT-6 Astra Enhances Efficiency
GPT-6 Astra enables Forge's AI agents to mimic human interactions within legacy portals, such as managing tickets, devices, and software licenses. These agents operate under technician-defined parameters, performing tasks independently or flagging actions for review. Shield reports that these workflows are already live, with thousands of successful runs each month across its IT provider network.
"What shocked me the most was how natural GPT-6 Astra was with computer use," Jain noted. "With earlier models, you could see them stutter while navigating the UI. GPT-6 Astra feels like watching a human click around."
Performance Gains and Strategic Impact
Shield has observed a 35–40% improvement in task completion speed compared to earlier AI models. This efficiency shift allows technicians to focus on high-priority issues, such as phishing attacks or critical system outages, while routine tasks are handled by AI agents. Phone calls, on-site work, and remote-desktop tasks still require human involvement, but the reliance on technicians for routine portal navigation has significantly decreased.
By leveraging GPT-6 Astra, Shield is redefining how IT services providers manage legacy systems, improving response times and overall operational efficiency for SMBs.
