ChatGPT agent has arrived to take over your whole workflow… slowly
Agentic AI is all the rage of the moment in the world of artificial intelligence, and now OpenAI, the default face of the technology, has finally caught up with something it calls ChatGPT agent. Using a computer of its own, ChatGPT agent can be tasked to complete tasks you’d rather avoid, like ordering cupcakes or planning and buying the ingredients necessary to whip up a Japanese-style breakfast for four.
“ChatGPT will intelligently navigate websites, filter results, prompt you to log in securely when needed, run code, conduct analysis, and even deliver editable slideshows and spreadsheets that summarize its findings,” OpenAI said in its announcement.
While we’ve yet to put OpenAI’s ChatGPT agent to the test, we’re still not quite sure that we want to. Putting aside the research that suggests extended use of AI can screw your brain up in the long run, it seems OpenAI hasn’t quite put the finishing touches on its new agent, with some noting inordinate wait times to get a result.
A report from Wired reckons the agent did manage to follow through on its request, but that it took a while to do it. “I was very specific about what I wanted, and it was a lot of cupcakes,” says Isa Fulford, OpenAI research lead. “That one took almost an hour—but it was easier than me doing it myself, because I didn’t want to do it.”
It’s doing all this by a combination of text-based browsing, visual browsing (using Operator), direct API access, and a terminal that’ll allow it to generate code and analyse what it sees. It’s already available to Pro, Plus, and Team members, though the former will get 400 queries per month, while the rest will have to make do with 40/month.
The iPad’s next big innovation is a second front-facing camera
If the allure of the new M5 chipset wasn’t quite strong enough to convince you to pick up Apple’s next iPad Pro refresh, set for release later this year, then the addition of a second front-facing camera probably won’t do much to change your mind either. If that was the deciding factor for you, then you’ve probably got more money than sense.
Still, when Apple moved the iPad’s front-facing shooter from its typical spot at the top of the screen in portrait mode to the side of the device to make it easier for most users, it did leave a bad taste in the mouth of those who rarely ever flip the device into landscape mode. According to Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, Apple’s solution to this is to… just add another camera to the device’s front.
While not particularly elegant and a far cry from the sort of innovation we’d expect to see from Apple, it does solve an issue that some die-hard users faced. Having two cameras working in conjunction will certainly eliminate the annoying FaceID challenges the camera’s movement invites, and allow anyone using FaceTime to hold the iPad however they wish.
WhatsApp’s got AI handling support
If you ever needed tech support for WhatsApp in the past, you had to start by filling out a form and waiting for someone at WhatsApp HQ to get back to you to try and solve the problem. But why pay humans when some artificially intelligent bot can do it instead? As reported by WABetaInfo, that’s exactly what’s happening.
The update, which is currently available to some beta testers and in the process of rolling out to more non-beta users, introduces an AI-based chatbot that’ll attempt to walk you through the issue using natural language. You’ll access it by visiting Settings > Help > Help Centre > Contact Us. Doing so will automatically open a new chat window to begin dissecting the problem.
If you or the bot can’t solve the problem right away, users can still request a real human at WhatsApp to take over and help out with the issue. Or, if you’d rather skip the AI step altogether, WABetaInfo notes that the support team can still be reached at support@whatsapp.com.
This Turtle Beach controller could be a good alternative to Nintendo’s hardware
If you’ve yet to give in to Nintendo’s demands as it holds its new Pro Controller 2 hostage for R2,300, then Turtle Beach may reward you for that patience. The company has just unveiled its new Donkey Kong-themed Rematch controller, sporting a distinctly Pro controller shape that’ll hook up to both your new Switch 2 as well as your older, wiser, Nintendo Switch.
It’s not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, costing $60 (∼R1,060) before factoring in shipping costs to our shores. Still, we can’t imagine the price exceeding Nintendo’s official hardware. That’s a win in our books. The gorgeous DK design, coming right after the release of Bananza and customisable back paddles, is another win.
Its biggest letdown, if you can call it that, is the lack of a proper “C” button, though considering you can still reach GameChat through the console menu, this isn’t a major loss. It’s still repping motion controls, a 3.5mm audio jack, wireless connectivity, and a battery that Turtle Beach reckons can last up to 40 hours on a single charge. Turtle Beach is taking pre-orders now, with a plan to ship between 10-12 October.
