OpenAI has introduced a new feature within ChatGPT called ‘Tasks’. This feature allows users to set reminders and alarms and manage various tasks seamlessly. It will transform ChatGPT into a personal assistant that caters to consumers’ unique needs.
This new feature is expected to find multiple applications. Users can now ask ChatGPT to check their local weather every morning at 9 am, summarise the latest AI papers using Search, craft sci-fi stories, monitor stock prices, and create challenging coding puzzles in Canvas.
Moreover, users can now visit the chat or tasks page under ChatGPT’s profile menu to schedule tasks like sending them a weekly global news briefing, designing a daily personalised 15-minute workout routine, or setting a reminder for the future.
“Whether it’s one-time reminders or recurring actions, simply tell ChatGPT what you need and when, and it will take care of it automatically,” OpenAI stated.
Starting Wednesday, the feature will be available to Plus, Pro, and Teams users and will soon be rolled out to all users. Currently in beta, it will undergo rapid iteration. In the meantime, users are reminded to select it in the model picker. “ChatGPT enters a new agentic era!” said Karina Nguyen, a researcher at OpenAI.
“We’ve trained the 4o model with scheduled tasks to act as a proactive partner. ChatGPT knows when to create or update reminders, ask more natural follow-up questions when it doesn’t have enough context, and use other tools like Search, DALL·E, and Canvas,” Nguyen added.
“This is a massive increase in human agency. Create an assistant for everyone who can send you a daily briefing in the morning, track cultural trends throughout the day, and give you a chance to go over tasks when you’re about to wind down,” LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman said.
Meanwhile, Ethan Mollick, assistant professor at Wharton, said, “A ChatGPT prompt to pull down a stock price each morning feels like a precursor to having an agent review your portfolio daily and give you updated advice based on what it finds.”
OpenAI president Greg Brockman referred to 2025 as the “year of agents” and described the company’s development as “baby steps in that direction”.
One of the standout benefits of the Tasks feature is its ability to provide 24/7 availability. Indian consumers often lead busy lives, juggling work, family, and personal commitments.
Moreover, this feature will be very helpful for elderly individuals who need reminders to take their medicines. While it currently lacks a voice component, adding one could make it even better by providing voice reminders.
With ChatGPT now able to handle reminders and alarms, users can efficiently manage their schedules without relying on multiple apps. “Imagine a future iteration of this where it calls you and asks you about all the details of your day. It can then save any relevant information for future use. Every one of these features is laying the groundwork for the future,” a Reddit user said.
OpenAI is trying to make ChatGPT a super app where users don’t need to visit other platforms for daily tasks. During its 12 Days of Shipmas, it introduced features like Canvas, Sora, and Search. Additionally, it launched a toll-free number and a WhatsApp line to reach more people.
OpenAI is also set to release its agent, ‘Operator,’ this year, which can perform tasks such as coding, travel booking, and managing emails autonomously.
A Threat to Siri and Alexa?
Amazon, on the other hand, is planning to relaunch its Alexa voice-powered digital assistant as an AI ‘agent’ capable of handling practical tasks as the company works to overcome challenges that have hindered its AI overhaul.
Rohit Prasad, head scientist of Amazon’s AGI (artificial general intelligence) team, said that in order to function as an AI agent, Alexa must be able to call hundreds of third-party software and services. He added that the company’s Nova models were built with Alexa’s needs in mind.
Meanwhile, Apple has faced its share of issues with Apple Intelligence. The system has generated several erroneous notifications that have raised serious concerns. For instance, it falsely reported that Luigi Mangione, accused of a high-profile murder, had died by suicide when, in fact, he is alive and incarcerated.
Many feel that Google should have provided this feature before OpenAI. “Most people use Gmail, Docs, Google Maps, and Google Calendar above Apple’s alternatives. Gemini could really tie them up well,” a user said on Hacker News.
Notably, Gemini is embedded within major Google Workspace apps, including Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, and Meet. This allows users to access AI tools directly within the applications they already use, minimising the need for external tools or extensions.
