ChatGPT can now read some of your Mac's desktop apps

OpenAI has announced that its ChatGPT desktop app for macOS can now read code from several developer-focused applications, including VS Code, Xcode, TextEdit, Terminal, and iTerm2. This new feature, named "Work with Apps," allows developers to interact with ChatGPT without needing to copy and paste their code. Instead, the app can automatically send the relevant code context to ChatGPT alongside user prompts. However, ChatGPT cannot write code directly into these applications yet. The feature is currently available to Plus and Teams users, with plans to extend it to Enterprise and Edu users soon. OpenAI is leveraging macOS's accessibility API to facilitate this functionality, which primarily reads text but cannot interpret visual elements. Users may need to install specific extensions for certain applications, like VS Code, to enable this feature. OpenAI aims to expand this capability to other text-based applications in the future. This development is seen as a foundational step towards creating more advanced AI agents that can understand and interact with various applications on a computer. OpenAI is also reportedly working on a general-purpose AI agent, codenamed "Operator," expected to launch in early 2025.

- ChatGPT can now read code from select macOS desktop apps.

- The feature eliminates the need for manual code copying and pasting.

- Currently, ChatGPT cannot write code directly into applications.

- The functionality is available to Plus and Teams users, with broader rollout planned.

- OpenAI is developing a general-purpose AI agent expected in early 2025.