Welcome to today's episode where we dive into The Verge's fascinating review of ChatGPT as a to-do list app—a wild mix of promise, quirks, and outright chaos. David Pierce, seasoned tech journalist and co-host of Vergecast, shares his adventures using ChatGPT's new productivity features, Tasks and Operator. While the system is capable of daily reminders—from a 20-minute full-body workout to unique grocery tips—it often stumbles in managing basic to-do list functions. As Pierce puts it, "the best way to use AI is simply as a way to get you started," highlighting ChatGPT’s ability to act as a brainstorming partner that jumpstarts your workflow. Yet, adding tasks can be overly complicated, with mismatches between various task views and closures between ChatGPT’s Task memory and its new notifications. Moreover, while Operator impresses by attempting to execute tasks like booking an Airbnb search or finding Schitt’s Creek merchandise, it sometimes falls short in context and integration with user accounts, leaving users both amused and mildly frustrated.

Here are the key points from the review:

• Daily Notifications: ChatGPT sends a consistent 7:30 AM reminder for a short workout and meditation session.
• New Productivity Features:
  • Tasks: Lets paid users create to-do lists and set reminders.
  • Operator: An “agentic” model aimed at executing tasks like booking reservations or drafting emails.
• Quirks in Task Management: Adding and viewing tasks is overly complex, with discrepancies between ChatGPT’s memory and the Tasks feature.
• Brainstorming Functionality: The AI serves well as a creative starting point, offering ideas and even unique recipes based on personal prompts.
• Operator's Capabilities: Successfully navigated Airbnb’s interface and searched for merchandise on Etsy but sometimes lacked clear context from human-style instructions.
• Mixed User Experience: While fun and occasionally useful for busywork, ChatGPT’s productivity system remains messy and error-prone.
• Potential for Growth: The review suggests that future iterations could evolve into a robust assistant combining AI-driven ideas with task execution—if the current glitches can be ironed out.

Stay tuned for more tech insights and remember: sometimes, even a messy to-do list app can spark your next big idea!
Link to Article