OpenAI is bringing a new level of personalization to ChatGPT with a feature called ChatGPT Pulse. Available exclusively to Pro subscribers in the mobile app, Pulse allows ChatGPT to learn from a user’s smartphone activity and deliver a tailored daily briefing.
OpenAI acknowledges that most AI agents still need to be told what to do.
A Smarter Start to the Day
With Pulse, users can grant ChatGPT access to their messages, calendar, email, and Google Contacts. The AI then compiles this data into visual, topic-based cards that appear each morning. These cards might include:
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News and sports updates
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Language learning snippets
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Food and leisure recommendations
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Event reminders and more
The goal is to help users start their day with organized, relevant information in a single glance.
A real breakthrough will come when such assistants understand users’ goals and desires and help them achieve them without prompting.
From Reactive to Proactive AI
Traditionally, ChatGPT has responded only when prompted. With Pulse, it becomes proactive, offering information, insights, and tactical next steps without users needing to ask.
During a demo, OpenAI showed how Pulse could create a 45–50 minute post-run itinerary, suggest dining options with dietary restrictions in mind, and even generate backup plans in case of scheduling conflicts.
Until now, ChatGPT has answered users’ questions, shifting responsibility to them.
Data, Privacy, and Control
To enable Pulse, users must grant permission for data access, such as calendars, emails, and prior chat history. Importantly, every action requires explicit confirmation, giving users full control over what data is shared. OpenAI notes that Pulse acts as an intermediary layer, following the same data handling policies as regular ChatGPT conversations.
The Bigger Vision: True AI Agents
OpenAI frames Pulse as an early step toward its long-term ambition: creating autonomous AI agents that understand user goals and act on them. Tech giants have long envisioned assistants that can book travel, reserve restaurants, prepare presentations, and purchase gifts. Pulse is the beginning of that journey.
Looking ahead, OpenAI plans to expand Pulse integrations with more apps and services, ensuring recommendations arrive not just daily—but at the exact moment they’re needed.
