OpenAI Expands ChatGPT Support to Additional Apple Desktop Apps

OpenAI has significantly expanded ChatGPT's integration with Apple desktop applications, enhancing its capabilities and user experience. This expansion builds upon the initial launch of ChatGPT desktop apps for both Mac and Windows

Enhanced Integration for macOS and Windows

macOS: The latest update introduces a "Work with Apps" feature (beta) for macOS users with Plus, Pro, Team, Enterprise, and Edu subscriptions. This allows ChatGPT to access and process content from various applications, including:

• Coding Apps: VS Code (including Code, Code Insiders, VSCodium, Cursor, Windsurf), Xcode, JetBrains IDEs (Android Studio, IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm, PHPStorm, CLion, Rider, RubyMine, AppCode, GoLand, DataGrip), TextEdit, Terminal, iTerm, Warp, and Prompt.
• Note-Taking Apps: Apple Notes, Notion, and Quip.

With user permission, ChatGPT can analyze code directly within these apps, providing context-aware suggestions and automating tasks. A demonstration showed ChatGPT analyzing Git comments in Warp and assisting with Swift code troubleshooting in Xcode. Advanced Voice Mode is also supported, enabling voice-based interaction with these integrated apps.

Windows: The ChatGPT Windows app is now generally available, incorporating improvements based on user feedback. These improvements include:

• Alt + Space Shortcut: For quick access to ChatGPT.
• Companion Window: To seamlessly resume conversations.
• Screen Sharing and Advanced Voice Mode: For smoother collaboration and interaction.

OpenAI's Vision: An "Agentic" ChatGPT

OpenAI's Chief Product Officer, Kevin Weil, emphasized the company's vision for a more "agentic" ChatGPT. This means moving beyond simple question-and-answer interactions to enable ChatGPT to proactively perform tasks and automate workflows on behalf of the user. The enhanced desktop app integrations are a crucial step towards this goal. Weil highlighted the advantages of desktop apps over browser-based interactions, including the ability to access screen content and automate desktop tasks (with user permission). Further advancements in this direction are anticipated by 2025.

Additional Details and Future Plans

• OpenAI's partnership with Apple, announced in June 2024, is a key driver of this integration, aiming to bring ChatGPT to a billion users.
• The beta "Work with Apps" feature is currently limited to Plus and Team users on macOS, with plans to expand to Enterprise and Educational accounts and Windows users in 2025.
• On macOS, ChatGPT utilizes Apple's Accessibility API, requiring additional extensions for compatibility with some applications like VS Code. While ChatGPT can suggest code improvements, it cannot yet directly write code into the development environment.

This expansion of ChatGPT's capabilities marks a significant step towards a more integrated and helpful AI assistant experience on Apple desktops. Future developments promise even greater automation and seamless integration with various applications.