01What is ChatGPT scheduled tasks and its new update?

ChatGPT scheduled tasks is a built-in tool that lets you set up recurring or one-time reminders and automated research within ChatGPT. The new update gives these tasks a dedicated home, makes them faster and more reliable, and grants every paid plan access to advanced features once locked behind the most expensive tier.

In this episode, Julian Goldie explains that this update merges the simple sticky-note style of old reminders with the smart research capabilities of the now-shut-down Pulse feature. This means you can get a morning briefing or daily suggestions without needing a separate premium add-on.

02Main features of the new ChatGPT tasks update

The biggest change is that scheduled tasks now have their own dedicated page inside ChatGPT, making them easier to find and manage. Previously, the feature was buried three menus deep, which meant most users never discovered it.

Key features include:

  • Access for all paid plans: Go, Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise, on both web and mobile.
  • Integration of Pulse's research capabilities, such as digging through old chats and saved memories, into the standard task system.
  • Running on the current GPT-5.5 model, ensuring tasks use the same intelligence as your regular conversations.
  • Automatic migration of old tasks from retired GPT-5.2 models to the newer version.

This update also includes better reliability and a simpler setup process, turning a buried feature into a central part of the ChatGPT experience.

03How to set up ChatGPT scheduled tasks step by step

Setting up your first task is straightforward. Julian recommends starting simple and building from there to get the most out of the feature.

  1. Open ChatGPT on your web browser, iPhone, Android, or Mac.
  2. Navigate to the new dedicated scheduled tasks page in the main menu (the first task you create on your phone enables mobile push notifications).
  3. Click or tap the button to create a new task.
  4. Type your instruction in plain language, for example, "Give me a daily briefing on AI news every morning at 8 AM."
  5. Choose the schedule: daily, weekly, or a one-time reminder, and set the specific time.
  6. For research-based tasks, enable the optional email and calendar connections in settings if you want ChatGPT to use them (this is off by default).
  7. Save the task. It will now run automatically at your chosen time.

04How to use it: practical examples from the episode

The episode highlights several practical ways to use scheduled tasks. One example is a daily morning task that checks for new AI tools and updates, then drafts a few short post ideas you can share the same day.

  • Morning briefing: Ask ChatGPT to give you daily suggestions based on your past chats, turning it into a repeating task for a personalized summary.
  • Business monitoring: Set a task to watch for new mentions of your brand or a competitor's new offer.
  • Content drafting: Have a task draft three short social media posts based on trending topics in your industry, ready before you open your laptop.

For business owners, the episode suggests starting week one with a simple daily briefing on a topic you care about. Week two, add a task that watches your business. Week three, add one that checks for new AI tools in your field.

05Results and comparisons: how it differs from Pulse

The episode compares the old scheduled tasks to a sticky note on the fridge, which repeats the same line at a set time. Pulse worked more like hiring an assistant who reads your week and hands you a folder every morning. This update merges both ideas.

Now, tasks run on GPT-5.5, the same brain used for your hardest thinking during the day, not an old stripped-down version. As of June 12, 2026, OpenAI fully retired GPT-5.2, and all tasks were automatically moved to the newer model.

Pulse had a thumbs up or down feedback loop to train results, but tasks skip that. Instead, you steer the outcome by being specific in your initial instructions, telling ChatGPT exactly what you care about.

One key difference is that Pulse cost a small fortune and only worked on phones. The new tasks system is available to every paid plan on web and mobile.

06Tips, limits and mistakes to avoid with tasks

There are several limits and quirks you should know before setting up tasks. First, you are capped at 10 active tasks at once. If you hit that ceiling, ChatGPT won't add another until you pause, delete, or let one finish.

Other important limits include:

  • Tasks inside a project folder cannot access files attached to that folder, so keep instructions self-contained.
  • Windows desktop support is still on the way, so use web, iPhone, Android, or Mac for now.
  • Mobile push notifications only fire properly if you create your first task directly from your phone, not from your laptop.
  • The free tier does not get scheduled tasks at all, so you need at least a Go plan.

Julian also warns against setting up a task and then never opening it again. The tool only helps if you check what it found, so build a habit of reviewing your tasks daily.

07Who it is for and why this update matters

This update matters most for solo business owners who cannot afford a research team or an assistant. Scheduled tasks built into a plan you already pay for give you access to research capabilities that were once exclusive to the priciest tier.

With between 700 and 900 million weekly users, rolling this feature across every paid tier touches an enormous slice of the population. It also fits OpenAI's pattern of moving toward an AI that doesn't just suggest things, but actually does them.

Julian notes that while tasks currently mostly research and remind, the direction is clear. The retirement of Pulse and the expansion of tasks to all paid plans shows where the rest of this is headed, making it a small tweak that comes with a major change.

08Your first steps with ChatGPT scheduled tasks

If you have never touched scheduled tasks before, Julian suggests starting with a single daily briefing on something you actually care about. That is all you need for week one, just get something running.

For those who were Pro subscribers using Pulse, you should set up your replacement task today because you have only 14 days before the old version is gone for good. Your old chats and cards will stay in your history.

The human part of this matters too. A tool that thinks of things before you ask is only useful if you actually go check what it found. Over the next year, expect tasks to take the next step on their own, drafting emails or booking tables instead of just reminding you.