OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pulse to proactively write you morning briefs

OpenAI has unveiled an innovative feature called Pulse within its ChatGPT platform, designed to deliver personalized reports to users while they sleep. This new tool generates five to ten concise briefs, helping users get ready for their day right from the moment they wake up. With Pulse, OpenAI aims to encourage users to check ChatGPT first thing in the morning, akin to checking social media or news apps. This launch is part of OpenAI's broader strategy to reshape its consumer products, transitioning towards asynchronous interaction rather than reactive responses. By introducing features like ChatGPT Agent and Codex, the company is transforming ChatGPT into a more proactive assistant rather than just a chatbot. Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s new CEO of Applications, highlighted in a blog post that this initiative seeks to democratize high-quality AI support, previously accessible only to the affluent. "ChatGPT Pulse marks the first step in that journey," Simo stated, indicating that the feature will initially be available to Pro users, with plans for a wider rollout. Earlier this week, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman noted that some of ChatGPT's advanced features, including Pulse, would be exclusive to the premium subscription plan costing $200 per month. The company has acknowledged its limitations regarding server capacity, but is working diligently to expand its AI data centers in collaboration with partners like Oracle and SoftBank. Starting Thursday, Pulse will be accessible to subscribers of the Pro plan and will appear as a new tab in the ChatGPT app. OpenAI has expressed intentions to extend access to all users in the future, with Plus subscribers receiving it soon as efficiency improves. The reports generated by Pulse can range from news summaries on particular topics, such as sports updates, to tailored briefs reflecting a user’s individual context. In a demonstration for TechCrunch, OpenAI product lead Adam Fry showcased various reports generated by Pulse, including updates on the British soccer team Arsenal, group Halloween costume ideas, and a family-friendly travel itinerary for a trip to Sedona, Arizona. Each report is visually presented as a “card” featuring AI-generated images and text, allowing users to delve deeper into each summary and query ChatGPT for more information. While Pulse will automatically create some reports, users can also request additional reports or provide feedback. Notably, Pulse is designed to limit the number of reports it generates in a day, concluding with a message: “Great, that’s it for today,” a deliberate choice to differentiate it from engagement-driven social media platforms. Pulse works seamlessly with ChatGPT’s Connectors, enabling users to link applications like Google Calendar and Gmail. This functionality allows Pulse to sift through emails overnight to highlight crucial messages or generate an agenda for upcoming events. For those with ChatGPT’s memory features activated, Pulse can utilize context from previous conversations to enhance report relevance. Christina Wadsworth Kaplan, OpenAI’s personalization lead, illustrated how Pulse recognizes her passion for running, providing tailored itineraries during her trip to London. As a pescatarian, she noted that Pulse helps with dinner reservations and finds suitable menu items. However, the emergence of Pulse may pose competition to existing news services like Apple News and paid newsletters. Fry clarified that Pulse is not intended to replace these platforms, as it cites sources and includes links similar to ChatGPT Search. The impact of Pulse on computational resources remains to be fully evaluated, with Fry mentioning that its efficiency can fluctuate based on the complexity of tasks. In the long run, OpenAI aspires for Pulse to evolve into a more autonomous assistant capable of making reservations or drafting emails for user approval. However, such advancements are likely to require significant improvements in OpenAI's models before they can be fully trusted by users.