OpenAI has introduced a new beta feature for ChatGPT Plus, Team, and Pro users, enabling them to schedule reminders and recurring tasks. This significant enhancement expands ChatGPT’s capabilities beyond conversational AI, moving towards a more proactive and assistive role for users.
“Tasks” allows users to set simple reminders with ChatGPT, such as “Remind me when my passport expires in six months.” The AI assistant will then follow up with a push notification on the user’s preferred platform. Furthermore, users can schedule recurring requests, like “Give me a news briefing every day at 10 a.m.,” enabling ChatGPT to provide consistent and personalized information updates.
This new feature signifies OpenAI’s first step towards developing more autonomous AI models, commonly referred to as AI agents. By enabling users to schedule and automate interactions with ChatGPT, this feature demonstrates the potential for AI to proactively assist users in various aspects of their daily lives.
The introduction of “tasks” has broader implications for the evolution of AI assistants. It showcases a shift towards more proactive and personalized AI experiences, moving beyond simple question-and-answer interactions. This development has the potential to significantly impact how individuals interact with technology, enhancing productivity and streamlining daily routines.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has stated that 2025 will be a pivotal year for AI agents, predicting their imminent entry into the workforce.
This statement underscores the company’s ambitious vision for the future of AI, where intelligent agents will play an increasingly significant role in various domains.
“Tasks” is currently available as a beta feature and will be gradually rolled out to a wider user base. While the current iteration has limitations, such as the inability to perform continuous searches or make purchases, it provides a valuable foundation for more advanced agentic capabilities.
OpenAI is actively developing more sophisticated AI agents, including “Operator,” which is reportedly capable of writing code and booking travel. The emergence of these more advanced systems will undoubtedly raise new questions and challenges regarding AI safety and ethical considerations.