OpenAI recently rolled out a feature called Tasks that fundamentally changes how you can use ChatGPT. Instead of manually typing the same prompts over and over, you can now schedule ChatGPT to run specific tasks automatically—daily, weekly, monthly, or at a specific time.
If you’ve ever wished ChatGPT could send you a morning news brief, remind you of upcoming deadlines, or check for updates on a topic you’re tracking, Tasks makes that possible. Here’s everything you need to know to start using it.
What ChatGPT Tasks Actually Does
Tasks lets you schedule any ChatGPT prompt to run automatically at a time you specify. When the scheduled time arrives, ChatGPT executes the prompt and sends you a notification with the results. You can access the output in your chat history or via email, depending on your notification settings.
The feature is available to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team subscribers. Free users don’t currently have access. You can create and manage tasks directly from any ChatGPT conversation on web or mobile.
Unlike simple calendar reminders, Tasks actually runs the AI model and generates new content each time. This means you can ask ChatGPT to summarize recent news on a topic, generate fresh ideas, compile information from your previous conversations, or create recurring content—all without lifting a finger.
How to Create Your First Scheduled Task
Setting up a task is straightforward. Here’s the step-by-step process:
- Start a conversation with ChatGPT and type the prompt you want to schedule. For example: “Summarize the top three AI news stories from the past 24 hours.”
- Once ChatGPT responds, look for the Tasks option in the interface. On web, you’ll see a clock icon or a “Create task” button near the prompt input area.
- Click to create a task and choose your schedule: once (specific date and time), daily, weekly, or monthly.
- Review the task details and confirm. ChatGPT will now run this prompt automatically according to your schedule.
You can view, edit, or delete all your tasks by going to your ChatGPT settings and finding the Tasks section. Each task shows the prompt, schedule, and last run date.
Practical Ways to Use Scheduled Tasks
The real value of Tasks comes from setting up recurring workflows that save you time. Here are some specific use cases worth trying:
Daily news digests: Schedule a prompt like “Summarize the latest developments in [your industry] from today” to run every morning at 7 AM. You’ll get a personalized briefing without opening multiple news sites.
Weekly content ideas: Set up a weekly task for “Generate 5 blog post ideas about [your topic] based on current trends.” Great for creators and marketers who need consistent inspiration.
Monthly goal reviews: Create a task that runs on the first of each month asking “Based on our previous conversations, what were my main goals last month and what should I focus on this month?”
Recurring research updates: If you’re tracking a specific topic—like a competitor, technology trend, or research area—schedule ChatGPT to check for updates and summarize what’s new.
Deadline reminders with context: Instead of a basic calendar alert, create a task that reminds you of a deadline and also generates a quick checklist or talking points based on your previous conversations about the project.
Tips for Getting the Most from Tasks
To make your scheduled tasks more effective, write prompts that work well without additional context. Since the task runs automatically, you won’t be there to clarify or provide follow-up information.
Be specific about what you want. Instead of “Give me AI news,” try “List 3-5 new AI tools or features announced in the past day, with a one-sentence description of each.”
Remember that ChatGPT’s knowledge cutoff still applies to scheduled tasks. For time-sensitive information, your prompts should ask ChatGPT to reason based on patterns or general knowledge rather than expecting real-time data it doesn’t have access to.
Start with one or two tasks and see how useful they are before creating many. It’s easy to over-schedule and end up with notification fatigue. The best tasks are the ones that genuinely save you time or surface information you’d otherwise miss.
Finally, review your tasks monthly. Your needs change, and a task that was helpful in January might be irrelevant by March. Keep your task list lean and relevant.
ChatGPT Tasks represents a shift from AI as a reactive tool to AI as a proactive assistant. It’s not revolutionary, but for the right recurring workflows, it’s genuinely useful—and it’s available to use right now.
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