ChatGPT Desktop App Automates Workflows with Scheduled Tasks

OpenAI is expanding the capabilities of its ChatGPT desktop application, introducing scheduled tasks that can automate repetitive workflows. Danielle Zaghian, Technical & AI Enablement at OpenAI, demonstrates how users can now prioritize their workload and schedule routine tasks, effectively turning ChatGPT into a personal chief of staff.

Automating Your Daily Brief

The new feature allows users to create custom chats that can pull information from various integrated services like Slack, email, and calendar. Zaghian showcases a setup called 'Chief of Staff' which consolidates urgent tasks, deadlines, meetings, and other contextual information into a daily briefing. This brief is delivered every weekday morning, allowing users to review their priorities over coffee.

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For instance, Zaghian sets up a scheduled task to receive a daily brief. This involves connecting ChatGPT to her Slack, email, and Google Calendar. The AI then compiles a summary of urgent tasks, upcoming meetings, and deadlines, presenting it as a concise daily digest. If a user needs to know their next immediate action, they can simply ask ChatGPT.

Streamlining Feedback Triage

Beyond personal task management, the application can also automate more complex team-oriented processes. Zaghian highlights how she uses ChatGPT to manage technical onboarding feedback at OpenAI. This feedback typically comes from various sources, including Slack, Notion, and Google Drive.

To handle this, a separate scheduled task is created in a chat named 'Feedback Triage'. This task runs weekly, collating feedback, summarizing it into a Google Doc, and drafting a post for the team's Slack channel. This automation frees up valuable time by processing and organizing incoming feedback without manual intervention.

Workspace Agents for Team Collaboration

The capabilities extend further with the introduction of Workspace Agents. Zaghian explains that a local workflow, such as the feedback triage process, can be transformed into a Workspace Agent that runs in the cloud. This allows the entire team to access and utilize the automated workflow directly through ChatGPT or Slack.

Converting a scheduled task into a Workspace Agent is presented as a simple process, initiated by asking ChatGPT. Once deployed in the cloud, the agent is accessible to the team, ensuring consistent application of the automated process. This feature enables repeatable tasks to be turned into agents that operate continuously, 24/7, for the benefit of the team.