Pulse is an innovative feature launched by OpenAI within ChatGPT that offers personalised morning reports to users while they rest. Pulse creates five to ten daily summaries intended to keep users informed about news, personal schedules, or specific interests, positioning ChatGPT as a morning routine alongside social media or news applications.
In contrast to the usual conversations typical of chatbots, Pulse embodies OpenAI’s ambition for asynchronous, assistant-like products. It complements offerings like ChatGPT Agent and Codex, giving ChatGPT a more proactive personal assistant vibe.
Fidji Simo, the CEO of Applications at OpenAI, explained that the aim is to develop AI that provides a level of support previously accessible only to the affluent, making it available to everyone gradually. ChatGPT Pulse marks the initial step in this direction, launching first for Pro users with the intention of expanding this functionality to all.
Beginning Thursday, Pulse will be available to subscribers of the Pro plan, which costs $200 per month. It is displayed as a new tab within the ChatGPT application. OpenAI has stated that Plus users will gain access later, as efficiency enhances.
Each Pulse report is displayed as a card featuring AI-generated visuals and text, covering various topics like sports updates and travel plans. Users can delve into the complete report, request details from ChatGPT, or ask for new automated summaries. Notably, Pulse is designed to conclude after a few briefs, presenting a notification that reads: “Great, that’s it for today,” setting it apart from endless social media feeds.
Pulse operates in conjunction with ChatGPT Connectors, allowing users to link apps such as Google Calendar and Gmail. During the night, Pulse can sift through inboxes to pinpoint priority emails or generate a morning schedule from calendar events. When ChatGPT’s memory is active, Pulse can also learn from past interactions to refine suggestions.
Christina Wadsworth Kaplan, OpenAI’s lead on personalisation, pointed out its adaptability. For instance, Pulse can manage dinner reservations on a user’s calendar and find menu options tailored to specific dietary needs.
In a demonstration, Pulse generated a news summary regarding Arsenal FC, provided Halloween costume inspirations, and devised a family travel itinerary, showcasing its capacity to blend contextual knowledge with creativity.
By providing curated, context-sensitive reports, Pulse has the potential to rival services like Apple News, newsletters, and conventional media platforms. Nevertheless, OpenAI underscores that it appropriately cites its sources, similar to ChatGPT Search.
Adam Fry, the product lead, noted that computational requirements can vary significantly based on the task, yet the objective remains efficiency. Looking toward the future, OpenAI foresees Pulse developing into a more agent-like service with capabilities such as making restaurant reservations or drafting emails, although these features are still in the experimental phase.
