Tag: OpenAI

AI Tools

Tutorial: How to Enable and Use ChatGPT’s New Agent Functionality and Create Reusable Prompts

OpenAI has introduced a major upgrade to ChatGPT’s capabilities: Agent Mode. This feature marks a shift from a simple conversational assistant to a powerful digital agent capable of executing tasks, navigating websites, creating documents, and integrating with real-world apps—all while keeping you in control. Whether you’re a busy professional, a content creator, or someone who simply wants to automate repetitive tasks, this guide will walk you through how to enable Agent Mode, what it can do, and how to create reusable prompts to maximize its power. 1. What Is ChatGPT Agent Mode? Agent Mode allows ChatGPT to go beyond generating text and instead take real actions on your behalf. It can browse the internet, fill out forms, use tools like Google Calendar and Gmail, create presentations, summarize data, and even automate multistep workflows. Think of it as a personal digital assistant that can reason, plan, and execute complex tasks across tools and services. What makes it truly unique is its live narration and transparency. The agent narrates every step it’s about to take, asks for your approval before doing anything sensitive, and gives you full control to interrupt, pause, or take over at any moment. It also has built-in safety features, like Watch Mode, disabled memory during tasks, and prompt-injection defenses, making it secure and user-friendly. 2. How to Enable Agent Mode in ChatGPT If you are a subscriber to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, or Team plans, enabling Agent Mode is easy. Here’s how: Once activated, ChatGPT becomes your agent for that session, ready to receive high-level tasks and carry them out across various tools and services. 3. What Can the Agent Do? With Agent Mode enabled, ChatGPT becomes capable of: Each of these actions is accompanied by a narrated explanation, and the agent pauses for your approval when it’s about to take action, especially if the task involves sensitive data or outputs. 4. Example Use Cases To understand how versatile the Agent Mode is, here are a few practical examples: Creating a Competitor Analysis Slide Deck You might say: “Research three competitors in the marketing automation space and create a presentation that outlines their pricing models, strengths, and recent news.” The agent will search online, extract key insights, organize them into slides, and present you with a downloadable PowerPoint file. You can review and approve the content before it’s finalized. Planning a Themed Dinner Prompt: “Plan a Japanese-style dinner for four. Find recipes, create a shopping list, and simulate placing the ingredients in an online grocery cart.” The agent will gather recipes, list ingredients, and (with your approval) interact with a grocery website to prepare a cart for review. Summarizing Your Week Prompt: “Connect to my Google Calendar, summarize my meetings this week, and include news updates about any companies I met with.” The agent can link to your calendar, extract key events, look up company-related news, and generate a concise summary for your review or presentation. 5. Safety and Control Features Agent Mode is built with user control and safety at its core: You can stop or modify any task at any time during the agent’s workflow. 6. Creating Reusable Prompts with Agent Mode If you have a task you want to repeat regularly—like generating weekly reports or creating a content summary—you can set up reusable prompts using either Custom GPTs or Custom Instructions. Option 1: Use a Custom GPT (Recommended for Pro Users) Custom GPTs are personalized versions of ChatGPT that retain specific instructions and tool configurations. Steps to Create One: Once saved, you can use this GPT anytime with consistent results. It will follow your instructions and use Agent Mode tools appropriately. Option 2: Use Custom Instructions + Manual Agent Activation If you’re not using Custom GPTs, you can still streamline workflows using Custom Instructions. How to Set This Up: Each time you want to run the task, type: “Run weekly workflow” Then activate Agent Mode manually by selecting it from the Tools menu or typing /agent. The assistant will follow the pre-set logic you’ve defined. 7. How Is Agent Mode Different from Search Mode? If you’ve used ChatGPT’s Web Browsing (also called Search Mode) before, you might wonder how it compares to the new Agent Mode. While both can access the internet and retrieve information, their purpose, behavior, and capabilities are quite different. Search Mode: Quick Information Lookup Search Mode is designed for simple tasks that require reading and summarizing web content. When you ask ChatGPT a question, it can’t answer from its training data; it uses browsing to look up the answer in real time. For example, if you ask: “What are the latest headlines about electric vehicles?” ChatGPT in Search Mode will search the web, scan a few sources, and summarize what it finds. That’s the extent of its role: read, summarize, and report. It cannot interact with websites (like clicking buttons or filling out forms), and it doesn’t create files or connect with external apps. Agent Mode: Task Execution and Automation Agent Mode includes everything Search Mode can do—but goes much further. It doesn’t just find information. It can: Let’s compare them with a concrete example: Example: Planning Conference Attendance Search Mode: “What are the top AI conferences in 2025?”→ ChatGPT browses the web and gives you a list. Agent Mode: “Find three top AI conferences for 2025, choose the ones most relevant to AI research, draft a registration email for each, and add them to my calendar.”→ The agent: In short, Search Mode is great for quick research, but Agent Mode is built for workflows and automation. When you want ChatGPT to take initiative, build documents, or operate across multiple tools, Agent Mode is the better choice. You can switch between both depending on the task—but for serious productivity, Agent Mode unlocks a whole new level of capability. 8. How Agent Mode Handles Passwords and App Integrations You Log In — Not the Agent For any integration (like Google Calendar, Gmail, Drive, GitHub, or Slack), you authorize the connection manually through

News

OpenAI Goes Live on AWS: A Milestone in Generative AI Access

For the first time in OpenAI’s history, its flagship models are now directly available via another major cloud provider—Amazon Web Services. This historic move, announced on August 5, 2025, marks a major expansion of OpenAI’s ecosystem beyond Microsoft Azure and could reshape enterprise AI deployment across the globe. Breaking into AWS: What Changed On August 5, 2025, AWS confirmed it was adding OpenAI’s two new open-weight reasoning models, gpt‑oss‑120b and gpt‑oss‑20b, to its Amazon Bedrock and SageMaker AI platforms—making OpenAI models directly available to AWS customers for the first time. Previously, OpenAI’s models were only accessible through Microsoft Azure or directly via OpenAI. The AWS offering now broadens enterprise access to these state-of-the-art AI tools. Meet the Models: gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b OpenAI’s launch included two open-weight models—an industry-first for the company since GPT‑2. These models differ from traditional open‑source variants by sharing the underlying trained parameters under an Apache 2.0 license, enabling fine‑tuning and commercial use without exposing training data. Benchmarks show gpt‑oss‑120b outperforming DeepSeek‑R1 and comparable open models in tasks such as coding and mathematical reasoning tests—though still slightly trailing OpenAI’s top-tier o‑series models. AWS Integration: Why It Matters Amazon’s integration lets customers access these models directly in Bedrock and SageMaker JumpStart, with support for enterprise-grade deployment, fine-tuning, monitoring tools, and security guardrails. AWS CEO Matt Garman called it a “powerhouse combination,” highlighting how OpenAI’s advanced models now pair with AWS’s scale and reliability. By adding these open-weight models, AWS aims to expand its “model choice” strategy while cementing its position as a one-stop shop for AI developers. Pricing claims are notably aggressive: AWS touts that, in Bedrock, gpt‑oss‑120b achieves up to 3× better price-performance than Google’s Gemini, 5× better than DeepSeek‑R1, and nearly twice the efficiency of OpenAI’s own o4 model. What It Means for the Industry This move signals a major shift for both companies: Looking Ahead The OpenAI models are available through Hugging Face, Databricks, Azure, and now AWS—a truly cross‑platform release spanning open‑weight accessibility with enterprise integrations. We’ll be watching how competitors respond. Meta’s Llama, Google’s Gemma, and DeepSeek’s models are now part of an increasingly crowded, high-stakes arena. AWS’s bet on OpenAI may accelerate enterprise adoption of generative AI while reshaping competitive dynamics in cloud provider alignment. In Summary OpenAI’s decision to release gpt‑oss‑120b and gpt‑oss‑20b as open‑weight models—and AWS’s simultaneous integration of those models—marks a pivotal moment in generative AI history. This partnership expands access, unlocks pricing efficiencies, and places OpenAI firmly within AWS’s model ecosystem for the first time. Enterprises now have broader, more flexible avenues for integrating OpenAI’s top-tier reasoning models into their own operations.

News

Confessions Aren’t Confined: Sam Altman Exposes ChatGPT’s Confidentiality Gap

Imagine treating an AI chatbot like your therapist—pouring your secrets, seeking guidance, finding comfort. Now imagine those intimate conversations could be subpoenaed and exposed. That’s the unsettling reality highlighted by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on July 25, 2025, when he revealed there’s no legal privilege shielding ChatGPT discussions the way doctor–patient or attorney–client exchanges are protected. Understanding the Confidentiality Void When Altman discussed AI and legal systems during his appearance on Theo Von’s podcast This Past Weekend, he emphasized that although millions use ChatGPT for emotional support, the platform offers no formal legal privilege. Unlike licensed professionals—therapists, lawyers, doctors—AI conversations offer no legal confidentiality, and could be disclosed if ordered in litigation. Altman stated plainly: “Right now… if you talk to ChatGPT about your most sensitive stuff and then there’s like a lawsuit or whatever, we could be required to produce that, and I think that’s very screwed up.” He urged that AI conversations deserve the same level of privacy protection as professional counseling and legal advice. A Privacy Race That’s Lagging Behind Altman highlighted how the industry hasn’t caught up with the rapid use of AI in personal contexts—therapy, life coaching, relationship advice—particularly by younger users. He views the lack of legal structure around privacy protections as a pressing gap. OpenAI is currently embroiled in a legal battle with The New York Times, which has sought an order to retain all ChatGPT user chat logs indefinitely—including deleted histories—for purposes of discovery. OpenAI opposes the scope of that order and is appealing, arguing it undermines fundamental user privacy norms. They note that on standard tiers, deleted chats are purged within 30 days unless needed for legal or security reasons. Why This Matters As digital therapy grows, users may mistakenly believe their intimate disclosures are as protected as conversations with clinicians or counselors. That misconception poses legal risks. Altman warned that if someone sued, your ChatGPT “therapy” session could be used as evidence in court. Legal analysts and privacy advocates agree—this is not just a philosophical issue. It signals a need for comprehensive legal frameworks governing AI-based counseling and emotional support platforms. Moving Toward a Solution Altman called for urgent policy development to extend confidentiality protections to AI conversations, similar to established medical and legal privilege. He described the absence of such protections as “very screwed up” and warned that more clarity is needed before users place deep trust in ChatGPT for vulnerable discussions. Lawmakers appear increasingly cognizant of the issue, yet legislation is lagging far behind technological adoption. Context of Broader Concerns Altman also expressed discomfort over emotional dependence on AI, particularly among younger users. He shared that, despite recognizing ChatGPT’s performance in diagnostics and advice, he personally would not trust it with his own medical decisions without a human expert in the loop. Simultaneously, some academic studies (e.g., Stanford) have flagged that AI therapy bots can perpetuate stigma or bias, underscoring the urgency of mindful integration into mental health care. Conclusion: AI Advice Needs Legal Guardrails Sam Altman’s warning—delivered in late July 2025—is a wake‑up call: AI chatbots are rapidly entering spaces traditionally occupied by trained professionals, but legal and ethical frameworks haven’t kept pace. As people increasingly open up to AI, often about their most sensitive struggles, laws governing privilege and confidentiality must evolve. Until they do, users should be cautious: ChatGPT isn’t a therapist—and your secrets aren’t safe in a court of law.

AI Tools

From Curious to Capable: How to Choose the Right Model and Tool in ChatGPT

If you’ve already used ChatGPT to write a message, get help with homework, brainstorm ideas, or ask about current events, you’re not a complete beginner anymore. You’ve stepped into the world of conversational AI. But you might be wondering: How do I get even better results? How do I know which version of ChatGPT to use? What are all these tools like “web search” or “image input”? These are the questions that mark the next phase of your AI journey—from casual experimenting to intentional, effective use. This guide is for users who have made a few prompts and now want to start thinking like a power user. You’ll learn how to: Let’s start by understanding what “models” really are, and why your choice matters. Part 1: What Are Models, and Why Do They Matter? A language model is the brain behind ChatGPT—it’s what understands your prompt and generates a response. Different models have different capabilities. As of 2025, ChatGPT gives you access to two main models: GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 (specifically GPT-4o, the latest version). GPT-3.5 (Free Tier) GPT-3.5 is fast and good at simpler tasks. If you’re writing emails, summarizing short texts, or asking basic questions, it can handle those efficiently. However, it has more limitations when it comes to complex reasoning, structured writing, or technical topics. GPT-4 (Pro Tier) GPT-4 is more advanced in almost every way: Why It Matters Choosing the right model is like choosing between calculators: a basic one might do the job, but for more complex calculations, you want a scientific or graphing calculator. Example:You want help writing a speech for a community fundraiser. GPT-3.5 might give you something functional. GPT-4 will craft something compelling, structured, and emotionally resonant—often with a better understanding of your audience and purpose. 🔍 Takeaway: If you’re doing quick or casual tasks, GPT-3.5 is fine. If you care about depth, creativity, accuracy, or professional quality, use GPT-4. Part 2: ChatGPT Tools – What They Are and What They’re Good For Beyond models, ChatGPT comes with optional tools that add new abilities. These tools expand what ChatGPT can do, not just say. Here are the most useful tools and when you should consider using them. 1. Web Search Tool This tool allows ChatGPT to access live data from the internet. It’s essential for anything that involves: Use when you need: Real-time information or anything published after GPT’s training cutoff. Prompt Example: “What are the top-rated hybrid cars under $40,000 in July 2025?” Without web search, ChatGPT will give you general advice. With it, you’ll get up-to-date, specific recommendations based on current sources. 2. Deep Search (Coming to Some Users) Deep Search is a new tool that helps ChatGPT deliver well-researched, citation-backed responses. It works by deeply analyzing multiple trusted sources—like academic papers, whitepapers, technical blogs, or institutional reports. Use when you need: Prompt Example: “Find peer-reviewed studies from the past 5 years that examine the effect of screen time on adolescent brain development.” This tool takes a little longer but is ideal for users who care about accuracy, reliability, and references. 3. Image Understanding (with GPT-4o) This tool allows you to upload and analyze images. ChatGPT can interpret: Use when you need: Prompt Example: [Upload a chart]“Explain what’s happening in this graph. It shows our monthly energy usage, and I want to know why March and July are so high.” 4. Code Interpreter / Advanced Data Analysis Sometimes called “Python” or “data analysis,” this tool allows ChatGPT to run calculations, generate plots, analyze data files, or do light coding. Use when you need: Prompt Example: “Here’s an Excel file of my business’s monthly income and expenses. Help me visualize cash flow and identify trends.” Part 3: Matching Your Task to the Right Model and Tool To get the most from ChatGPT, you need to match your goal to the right combination of model and tool. This isn’t just about what’s possible—it’s about what’s most efficient and most effective. Let’s go through five realistic examples and break down how to approach each one. Scenario 1: Writing a Professional Grant Proposal The Task: You’re applying for funding to support a community initiative and need a compelling, well-written grant application. What You Need: Clear structure, persuasive writing, professional tone, and possibly some recent data or statistics. Best Setup: Why: GPT-4 writes more fluently and persuasively, and understands complex objectives like advocacy and fundraising better than GPT-3.5. If you’re referencing current trends or government priorities, enable web search. Example Prompt: “Write a one-page grant proposal for a program that provides free coding classes to underserved high school students in Detroit. Emphasize job readiness and equity.” Scenario 2: Understanding a News Event That Just Happened The Task: You heard about a political development, a new technology release, or a natural disaster and want a concise, reliable summary. Best Setup: Why: ChatGPT’s training data doesn’t include real-time events. The web tool lets it search and summarize current information just like a journalist would. Example Prompt: “Summarize the July 2025 European Union data privacy regulation updates. What’s changing and why?” Scenario 3: Making Sense of a Legal Document from a Photo The Task: You’ve taken a picture of a contract or legal clause and want to understand it in simple terms. Best Setup: Why: Uploading the document saves you time, and GPT-4o can extract the text, interpret legal language, and explain it clearly. Example Prompt: [Upload image of a rental agreement]“Can you explain what this ‘Termination Clause’ means in plain English? What happens if I leave early?” Scenario 4: Doing Academic or Technical Research The Task: You’re writing a report or essay and need detailed, factual content with references. Best Setup: Why: Deep Search scans through high-quality sources and returns trustworthy insights—ideal for research where you need to cite your work. Example Prompt: “What’s the current consensus on microplastic pollution in human bloodstreams? Cite recent studies published in medical journals.” Scenario 5: Interpreting a Graph or Dashboard Screenshot The Task: You want help reading and explaining a

News

Powering the AI Future: OpenAI to Pay Oracle $30 Billion Annually for Data Center Services

A Jaw‑Dropping Commitment Imagine leasing the equivalent of two Hoover Dams in power—dedicated solely to building advanced AI infrastructure. That’s the scale of what’s unfolding: In July 2025, OpenAI confirmed it will pay Oracle a staggering $30 billion per year for data center services, marking one of the largest-ever cloud agreements in history. This deal isn’t just a tech upgrade—it signals a monumental shift in how AI powerhouses plan to scale. The Deal Unveiled: $30 B for 4.5 GW Oracle filed an SEC disclosure that hinted at a $30 billion annual cloud contract. Soon after, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman publicly confirmed the deal, clarifying it involves leasing 4.5 gigawatts of data center capacity, equivalent to powering roughly four million homes. This capacity is part of “Stargate,” the ambitious $500 billion AI infrastructure venture launched in January by OpenAI, Oracle, SoftBank, and MGX. Notably, the Oracle deal involves no SoftBank—though the broader initiative includes their participation. Why It Matters: Shifting AI Infrastructure Paradigms OpenAI historically leaned on Microsoft and Nvidia, even renting Google TPUs this year. Yet this sudden pivot to Oracle marks a strategic broadening of its compute base, reducing dependency on a single provider. For Oracle, already pouring over $46 billion into capital projects, this contract could skyrocket its cloud revenue. OpenAI alone will soon outpace Oracle’s entire cloud sales volume from 2025. Stargate’s Evolving Trajectory Announced at the White House, Stargate aimed to spend $500 billion over four years building out AI data centers. The scope: 10 GW nationwide, generating 100,000+ jobs. But progress has faced growing pains. Tensions with SoftBank over locations and pace have resulted in a scaled-back strategy for 2025—launching a smaller center in Ohio by year’s end. Meanwhile, Oracle’s 4.5 GW commitment in Abilene, Texas—and beyond—marks a tangible milestone. OpenAI’s internal memo admits that supply chains and construction timelines are pressurized, even as it leans into external partners and governments to stay competitive. Market and Policy Implications Oracle’s shares surged to record highs post-deal, significantly boosting the net worth of co-founder Larry Ellison. However, following reports of project slowdowns, the stock dipped amid investor concerns over execution, funding, and rising debt. Indeed, Oracle expects to generate $30 billion per year in AI cloud revenue by 2028, backed by its increased capital spending and anticipated orders of Nvidia GB200 chips. Moreover, U.S. policymakers view Stargate as key to maintaining AI dominance over rivals like China. The deal bolsters national goals around reindustrialization, tech leadership, and energy security. Challenges Ahead: Infrastructure, Energy, and Execution Massive data center builds require more than money—they need land, power, permitting, and skilled labor. Oracle’s exploding capital expenditures—$21.2 billion in FY2024, with $25 billion more planned in 2025—reflect the enormous logistical push required. In Abilene, the rollout is already underway: Nvidia GB200 racks are being installed and workloads are live. But despite building momentum, cost and complexity strain even the largest players. What Comes Next For OpenAI: Balancing compute growth with financial sustainability; ensuring ROI across research and revenue. For Oracle: Fulfilling this high-stakes commitment while managing debt and delivering expanded cloud services. For Stargate: Reassessing timelines and partner contributions—especially SoftBank’s—while staying on track toward 10 GW. Final Take OpenAI’s $30 billion-a-year Oracle deal is a once-in-a-lifetime commitment in the tech world. It goes beyond a routine cloud contract—it signals a race to build the physical backbone of next-gen AI. But sheer ambition isn’t enough. Turning 4.5 GW into reliable, operational data centers requires navigating financial strain, construction bottlenecks, and energy needs. The world will be watching whether this hyper-scale gamble pays off—or if growing pains turn Stargate’s megaproject into a cautionary tale.