Wild ChatGPT Pulse Update Will Change the Way We Use AI

It gave me updates on what had changed in my college town over the last 6 months. That sort of blew my mind.

The words belong to Parker Jones, a college student who had been home for the summer and studying abroad before that.

The “it” Parker refers to here is ChatGPT “Pulse” – a new endeavour by OpenAI, makers of the renowned ChatGPT. And if you’ve ever used the AI chatbot, you know that it is capable of sharing any sort of updates.

So, what is so “mind-blowing” here?

ChatGPT Pulse did it proactively, without any question/ query from Parker.

At some point, the new Pulse feature on ChatGPT deduced that Parker had returned to college town and was readying for college. ChatGPT Pulse then decided to help Parker prepare for it by actively sharing all the updates in the town over the past months.

Nolan Windham, another student trying out ChatGPT Pulse, shares that the new feature managed to “combine two computer graphics techniques” he had earlier explored with Chat in totally unrelated contexts. “I never thought to combine them, but these suggestions triggered a lightbulb moment for me.”

So, yes, this is a big update, and as far as I can envision, this will change how you use AI.

How? Read on!

What is ChatGPT Pulse?

First things first, what is the new update that we explore here? Think ChatGPT meets Google Discover. It is basically the complete reversal of how we use AI to date. Instead of the “ask-and-get answers” model that we follow, the new Pulse makes ChatGPT start a conversation relevant to you. Basically, ChatGPT is now proactive and independent.

So what does it talk about? Well, this is where things get interesting. As with any great feat, come great sacrifices. ChatGPT’s new Pulse brings its abilities at the cost of your privacy. Along with being proactive, it is now much more intrusive, as it now connects with other apps that you use.

Which makes sense, at least practically. The whole idea of ChatGPT Pulse is to be your “proactive assistant” that readies you for your day or any new challenge you may need its help with. For that, ChatGPT will need to know your day, interests, challenges, and so on. All that comes through integration with other apps you use.

As OpenAI puts it in its announcement: “Pulse is a new experience where ChatGPT proactively does research to deliver personalized updates based on your chats, feedback, and connected apps like your calendar.”

How Does it Work?

At its core, ChatGPT Pulse is like an AI that spends the night thinking about you. Each evening, it quietly sifts through your memory, chat history, and past feedback. Next morning, it wakes up ready with a personalized daily AI digest. The result? Updates that feel less like a generic feed and more like a curated morning briefing.

This isn’t just trivia. Pulse might remind you of a half-finished conversation, suggest a healthy dinner recipe for tonight, or nudge you toward that bigger goal you keep putting off, like slimming down. The feature can even connect with Gmail and Google Calendar (if you allow it) to add real-world context. Suddenly, ChatGPT is drafting meeting agendas, dropping birthday gift reminders, or recommending restaurants for your upcoming trip.

Of course, safety checks filter every suggestion, so you won’t be greeted with harmful or policy-violating content. And Pulse isn’t a one-way street. You can “curate” what you want in future editions. Say, a Friday roundup of local events or cricket updates during the Asia Cup. Feedback is simple too: thumbs up, thumbs down, or wipe your history clean. The more you guide it, the sharper and more personal ChatGPT Pulse becomes.

What Does it Look Like?

I am a huge fan of Google Discover, and most of my mornings begin with sifting through it for the day’s news and updates. Essentially, ChatGPT Pulse will have a similar look and feel to it.

So, expect to be greeted with a clean stack of visual cards, each one a topical snapshot tailored to you. Think of them as quick-scan tiles: one card on the news you care about, another with dinner ideas, maybe one reminding you about that presentation tomorrow. Tap to expand, and the card unfolds into richer detail or actionable next steps.

Here’s the twist: Pulse is intentionally ephemeral. Each update lives for the day unless you save it as a chat or build on it with a follow-up question. That way, your feed never clutters – it refreshes every morning with fresh, focused updates. And when something matters, you can pin it to your history, dig deeper, or let ChatGPT push you forward toward longer-term goals.

How Does ChatGPT Pulse Help Me?

In endless ways.

Imagine that the world’s most capable (or at least among the best) AI model now knows you and your schedule in and out. There are practically endless areas of interest you can seek its help for.

• Got Friday-night dinner plans? It can help you choose the best restaurant as per your likes, and remind you to book a table.
• Weekend outings? Pulse can round up local events, gigs, or exhibitions you’d actually want to check out.
• Fitness goals? It nudges you with today’s workout idea or meal plan aligned with your dream physique.
• Work prep? Pulse drafts your meeting agenda straight from your calendar and suggests questions you might want to ask.
• Learning something new? Pulse drops daily bite-sized tips, like a French phrase or a coding trick, to keep you moving.
• Travel coming up? Expect restaurant picks, hotel reminders, and even quick cultural notes about your destination.
• Forgot a friend’s birthday? Pulse won’t. Much like Facebook or LinkedIn, it’ll remind you in time, and may even go a step further by suggesting gift ideas.
• Creative inspiration? If you’ve been tinkering with an idea in chat, Pulse can combine your threads into a fresh spark.

How to Access ChatGPT Pulse

OpenAI is still testing ChatGPT Pulse before a wider rollout. Because of this, the feature is currently available only to some ChatGPT Pro users on mobile. However, once the company fine-tunes it further, we can expect the rollout worldwide, even to Plus, and possibly non-paying users of ChatGPT.

As it is still in the testing phase, OpenAI mentions that Pulse is a preview at the moment. As a result, it may not always be right at present. As the nuances are taken care of, expect ChatGPT Pulse to be way more accurate before it comes to you.

ChatGPT Pulse: What’s Next?

It is quite simple to envision, actually, that ChatGPT Pulse will bring in a whole new era of AI use for humans. As OpenAI puts it, “Pulse is the first step toward a new paradigm for interacting with AI.”

How so? The combination of a conversational AI bot with a memory dedicated to you and connected to all your apps for context will align with your goals like never before. With that comes a major transformation – it becomes a proactive assistant and not just a chatbot anymore.

The result – such a technology can help you stay on top of your daily routine and tasks, even when you are not actively focusing on them. For now, ChatGPT Pulse may seem like an AI tool to stay updated with your relevant topics – “personalized research and timely updates.” Though its integration into your chats and tasks makes it much more. Think of a personal assistant that is working 24 hours a day, keeping a record of all your doings throughout.

Here is a glimpse into its future in OpenAI’s own words – “We’re also exploring ways for Pulse to deliver relevant work at the right moments throughout the day, whether it’s a quick check before a meeting, a reminder to revisit a draft, or a resource that appears right when you need it.”

So be sure to check out this new tech from OpenAI, as and when it is available to you. You can stay tuned to this space for updates on the same.