Assistant-like feature name ‘Tasks’ has been rolled out by OpenAI who can Compete with Alexa and Siri

OpenAI has announced a new beta feature called Tasks for ChatGPT, marking a significant step in its expansion into the virtual assistant market. This move positions OpenAI as a competitor to established players like Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa. The announcement, made on Tuesday, reflects OpenAI’s ambition to bring generative AI into the domain of daily assistance, blending convenience and intelligence seamlessly.

The Tasks feature allows ChatGPT users to schedule actions for future times, catering to both one-off and recurring needs. This could range from setting reminders for events like concert ticket sales to scheduling recurring updates such as daily weather forecasts or weekly news briefings. Taking the concept further, ChatGPT will also have the ability to suggest tasks to users based on prior interactions. However, these suggestions will be entirely optional, giving users the freedom to accept or decline them, ensuring a balance between proactive assistance and user control.

The introduction of Tasks highlights OpenAI’s response to the growing competition in the AI-driven virtual assistant landscape. Since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, the generative AI space has seen an unprecedented surge in investments. This has prompted other tech giants like Amazon to upgrade their existing virtual assistant services. For instance, Amazon is incorporating generative AI capabilities into its decade-old Alexa platform, which has long struggled to turn a profit. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy stated in December 2024 that an enhanced version of Alexa—capable of autonomously performing actions without user prompting—is expected to launch in the coming months.

Similarly, Apple has stepped up its game by embedding its proprietary “Apple Intelligence” technology into Siri. Leveraging a partnership with OpenAI, Apple uses ChatGPT’s capabilities selectively, always seeking user permission before tapping into the service. This integration showcases Apple’s commitment to enhancing Siri while ensuring user privacy and consent.

OpenAI plans to roll out the Tasks beta feature globally to Plus, Team, and Pro subscribers over the next few days, starting with the web platform. This rollout marks yet another milestone in the evolution of AI assistants, as companies race to redefine convenience in the age of intelligent technology.