ChatGPT Tasks beta falls short of Siri in real-world test

ChatGPT’s new Tasks feature beta release shows early promise but falls short of replacing established digital assistants like Siri.

Initial impressions: The recently launched ChatGPT Tasks beta demonstrates OpenAI’s attempt to compete in the digital assistant space while exhibiting significant reliability issues during early testing.

• The feature accepts both text and voice commands for setting reminders and managing tasks
• Cross-platform functionality allows users to sync their tasks across different devices
• The system shows initiative by suggesting related tasks and follow-up items to users

Key limitations: Despite some innovative features, ChatGPT Tasks currently suffers from several critical shortcomings that impact its practical utility.

• Basic task requests are sometimes met with “come back later” responses, indicating backend processing issues
• The system occasionally provides incorrect information through AI hallucinations
• Task execution can be interrupted by random pauses
• Email notification system lacks comprehensive detail in its alerts

Successful features: Some aspects of ChatGPT Tasks demonstrate the potential value of AI-powered task management.

• Successfully handles recurring reminder settings
• Completed basic time-based tasks like setting 10-minute work reminders
• Proactive task suggestions show the potential for AI to anticipate user needs

Competition context: While ChatGPT Tasks introduces interesting capabilities, established digital assistants currently offer more reliable alternatives.

• Siri’s proven reliability for basic task management makes it a safer choice for critical reminders
• The feature’s inconsistency suggests it needs further development before it can compete with existing solutions

Future outlook: While ChatGPT Tasks shows promise with its AI-powered features, significant improvements in reliability and consistency will be necessary before it can become a viable alternative to current digital assistants.