 "OpenAI's AI chatbot, ChatGPT, was down for thousands of users worldwide on Thursday (January 23). Image Credit: OpenAI")
OpenAI has rolled out an exciting new feature for ChatGPT that lets users set reminders and schedule tasks. This feature, called ‘Tasks,’ is currently available to all paid subscribers, with plans to extend it to free-tier users later this year.
It marks an important step towards making ChatGPT more interactive, bringing the AI closer to performing agent-like functions.
How the Tasks feature Works
Right now, the Tasks feature is available in beta for ChatGPT Plus, Teams, and Pro users. The company has said it plans to expand it to those on the free tier soon. To use it, all you need to do is head over to the web version of ChatGPT and find the Tasks page in the profile menu. Users can easily set one-time or recurring tasks, but for now, they can’t use the Advanced Voice Mode to schedule tasks.
During the beta phase, OpenAI is keen to understand how users interact with the feature and will refine it before rolling it out more widely. While setting reminders is nothing new (your phone’s clock app does that, after all), the ability for ChatGPT to actually perform tasks at a scheduled time is what makes this feature interesting.
Set tasks with simple prompts
Using the feature is pretty simple. You can type a prompt in the chat window or go directly to the Tasks page to set something up. Whether it’s getting a summary of the day’s tech news at a specific time or receiving a motivational message before your workout, ChatGPT will deliver it when scheduled. You just type in natural commands like, “Send me a summary of today’s tech news at 7:30PM on weekdays,” and the AI will take care of the rest.
It’s a smooth and easy way to make sure you get the information you need, exactly when you need it.
Is OpenAI working on agent-like AI?
While setting reminders isn’t new, what makes this feature stand out is that ChatGPT can now actually perform tasks at a set time. This may not be a full-on AI agent just yet, but the combination of memory and executing multiple steps to generate content at a specific time shows promise.
There’s been a lot of buzz about OpenAI’s potential work on its first AI agent, possibly called ‘Operator.’ Some believe that Tasks could be a stepping stone towards that. It’s still early days, but with Tasks, OpenAI is definitely moving in a direction where ChatGPT might become a lot more autonomous, making it even more useful and interactive.