Cover: AI-generated conceptual illustration of an assistant coordinating work. It does not depict the actual ChatGPT dots interface or product appearance.
A project deadline moves. A customer changes their requirements. An interview needs turning into several pieces of content. Each creates follow-up work that someone has to remember and organise.
ChatGPT dots are designed to take on those ongoing responsibilities. A dot can track progress between conversations, continue working as circumstances change, and bring back results or decisions that need your attention. OpenAI’s introduction to dots
The practical starting point is to give your dot a specific responsibility, the information it needs, and a clear description of a useful result. Here are eight examples to try.
1. Keep a project on track
Give your dot the project plan and relevant updates, then ask it to identify approaching deadlines and unresolved decisions.
Example prompt: “Track this website launch. Keep a list of deadlines, blockers, and decisions. Tell me when a change threatens our launch date.”
2. Turn interviews into content
An interview can supply material for an article, show notes, and social posts.
Example prompt: “Use this transcript to prepare show notes, three social captions, and five clip ideas. Include timestamps where available.”
3. Organise an event
A dot can help track venue options, headcount changes, and outstanding questions.
Example prompt: “Compare these venues against our budget and guest count. Keep a checklist of unanswered questions.”
4. Keep a sales proposal current
Customer requirements often change while a proposal is being prepared.
Example prompt: “Update this proposal when I share revised requirements. Flag pricing assumptions and terms that need a decision.”
These prompts illustrate the project, content, event, and proposal workflows described in OpenAI’s documented examples.
5. Prepare customer email replies
With access to a supported email connection, a dot can find relevant messages and help prepare responses. Its access depends on the connected account and the actions that account allows.
Example prompt: “Review customer emails from this week. List requests awaiting a response and draft replies using our support guide. Leave the drafts for my review.”
Share the correct support policy, explain how to handle missing information, and identify which requests need your attention. See app connections and permissions.
6. Research options while you’re away
Dots have their own cloud computer and browser for work such as research, document preparation, and data analysis. Cloud work can continue while your personal devices are off.
Example prompt: “Research these three suppliers. Prepare a comparison covering published prices, delivery terms, and support. Link each source and identify details you couldn’t verify.”
If an assignment needs local files or apps on a connected computer, that computer must remain online with ChatGPT open. See cloud and local computer access.
7. Follow through on software problems
A dot can coordinate coding work through Codex. Cloud coding tasks need a configured environment containing the relevant repository and setup; local tasks need a connected computer.
Example prompt: “Investigate this mobile checkout bug. Prepare a fix, run the relevant tests, and provide reproduction steps and a draft pull request for review.”
Include the affected device, expected behaviour, screenshots, and any error messages. Define what would count as a successful fix so the resulting work is easier to assess. See coding tasks and environments.
8. Prepare recurring progress updates
For work that repeats at fixed times, specify the schedule, time zone, sources, and destination.
Example prompt: “Every weekday at 9 am Sydney time for the next four weeks, review this project’s connected sources. Send me a brief ChatGPT update covering progress, blockers, and decisions. Confirm the saved schedule.”
Ask your dot to confirm what it scheduled, then review recurring work through Scheduled. See recurring task guidance.
Get started with one responsibility
Open dots in the ChatGPT mobile app, desktop app, or a desktop browser. Name your dot, customise its appearance if you wish, and connect the tools needed for your first assignment. Mobile web is not supported. See setup instructions.
Begin with one responsibility whose output you can easily check. Review the first result, correct missing context, and refine the instructions before expanding its role.
Be explicit about actions involving other people. Asking for a draft does not authorise sending it. Dots operate under app permissions, safeguards, and action review, and some actions require approval. You can inspect ongoing work through Activity and redirect it as needed. See controls and action review.
Availability is still rolling out and depends on your account, region, and workspace settings. Check the current access requirements before planning a workflow around the feature.
Sources
- Meet dots — OpenAI
- Get started with your dot — OpenAI
- Connect computers and apps to your dot — OpenAI
- Tasks and memory — OpenAI
- Control your dot — OpenAI
