Although I’ve always wanted a to-do list, I find that I forget to review it. Online calendars and tools are helpful, but I still need to write them all down. If I want to complete a long-term or complicated project, I will need to break it into smaller pieces and create a schedule to get me there. Things would always slip through the cracks. I would be confidently running errands one moment, and then realize that I had forgotten the one ingredient or left my toothbrush across the country.
I was therefore intrigued when OpenAI launched the Tasks feature in ChatGPT. Tasks is designed to help you automate the creation and maintenance of your to-do list. Tasks is unique in that it can break down large projects into manageable tasks while keeping everything organized. Tasks is a much better method than my usual method, which is to jot down random reminders in hopes that I will remember to check them. ChatGPT Tasks can remind you of upcoming deadlines and suggest next steps for ongoing projects. It will even learn your planning habits in order to refine future recommendations. ChatGPT Tasks is more proactive than a static checklist. I’ve used it a lot in the past and, to my surprise I’ve stayed on top of everything I need to do more than ever before.
To use the Tasks feature you will need to subscribe to ChatGPT plus or a higher level of access. It is still in beta. If you have subscribed, “GPT-4o with scheduled tasks” will be available in the model options. ChatGPT will then set up a Task based on your preferences, including a time and day alert. You can set it up as a one-time or recurring reminder. It will appear on your mobile app, desktop client or web client when you have ChatGPT opened.
It’s also not necessary to be too specific. The AI is flexible, so you can describe an overall goal or achievement that you would like to achieve and then ask ChatGPT for Tasks and reminders. The AI will try to break the plan down into smaller segments. You can view all Tasks, edit them, delete or pause the automated alarm at any time. ChatGPT Tasks
Music maestro
I’ve had my guitar for years and can ‘play,’ as long as a song only requires six chords and it’s not too fast. I’ve always said I would practice and get better at it. But distractions and vague plans have caused me to feel guilty about the guitar case.
When I asked ChatGPT’s Tasks feature to come up with a strategy to improve my guitar skills over the next 12 months, it delivered. ChatGPT created recurring reminders to practice every day, dividing them into different types of practices, and laid out a realistic schedule for skill-building and song practicing. I didn’t need to think about the tasks to do each day because Tasks had already laid it out for me.
It also used context to suggest ideas I hadn’t thought of, such as finger strengthening exercises and recording my progress. I’m still not Eric Clapton, and some days I don’t feel like practicing. But the reminders keep me moving forward. It even began recommending new songs that were matched to my skill level. This kept me engaged.
Party planning
Although I love the idea, I admit that hosting dinner parties would be chaotic. I might even need to order takeout if it weren’t for my wife’s expertise. If I want to prove I can handle her level of sophisticated hosting, I cannot have last-minute realizations like I forgot to turn the oven on or added almonds in a dish that was about to be consumed by a guest with an allergy. I asked ChatGPT for help and gave it two months to prepare.
This image only shows a small portion of the list that ChatGPT created for me. Everything is broken down into much smaller chunks – from sending invitations to planning the menu to shopping for ingredients and preparing them, as well as setting up decorations. The automated reminders are a great help and they link to the next Task very well.
ChatGPT also took the initiative in a number of the tasks, prompting to double-check any food allergies that I may have overlooked. The Tasks included a reminder for me to test my Bluetooth speakers before guests arrived, so I wouldn’t have to worry about connection issues when they arrived.
Baby’s Day Out
Although I love my child, stepping out with him can be a challenge, especially when we’re just the two of you. He has also learned how to unbuckle the seatbelt of his stroller. He’s a pretty laid-back kid, but I want to make sure that he gets enough food and can nap whenever he wants. His messes don’t wait for anyone.
I asked ChatGPT, using Tasks, to give me suggestions for organizing a day trip, or a Mary Poppins-style plan. And that’s exactly what it did. The AI would remind me, before our day out in this experiment, to pack his diaper bag. The AI created a packing list that was customized based on my son’s characteristics. It helped me plan the meals, rest times, as well as how to fit them into our plans for a walk in the forest.
Tasks could not prevent my son from throwing a sippy cup on the forest floor a thousand times or stop him from being upset that we had to go home. But it made sure I was prepared without having to run everything through my mind over and again. I felt in control as much as a one-year old can be controlled.
Taskmaster
ChatGPT does not transform my life. Tasks or no Tasks, it doesn’t turn me into Emily Post on a party or George Harrison on the guitar or Bluey’s Dad Bandit when I’m out with my kid. It makes pursuing those goals less chaotic and on the verge of failure. Instead of juggling reminder alarms and sticky notes on my phone, I now have a clear, organized system that helps keep me ahead without feeling overwhelmed.
Tasks’ flexibility is its most impressive feature. What makes Tasks so special is its adaptability. When you have a lot to do, Tasks can be a great help. It will tell you what you missed and suggest where you should go next. It won’t solve all my problems and sometimes you have to just wing it. Tasks will not help. I asked Tasks to help me develop my ability to think on my feet. In six months, I will be ready to be spontaneous.
You might also enjoy…
- Does ChatGPT Plus really worth it? I compared OpenAI’s paid subscription with the free version, and the results may surprise you.
- ChatGPT tasks can take over your calendar to remind you to complete your to-do lists
- ChatGPT’s new ‘Canvas’ is the AI collaborator that you didn’t know you needed.
Eric Hal Schwartz has been a freelance writer at TechRadar for more than 15 years. He has covered the intersection of technology and the world. He was the head writer of Voicebot.ai for five years and was at the forefront of reporting on large language models and generative AI. Since then, he has become an expert in the products of generative AI, including OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude. He also knows Google Gemini and all other synthetic media tools. His experience spans print, digital and broadcast media as well as live events. He’s now continuing to tell stories that people want to hear and need to know about the rapidly changing AI space and the impact it has on their lives. Eric is based out of New York City.
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