OpenAI’s recently released Mac desktop app is getting a bit easier to use. The company has announced that the program will now offer side-by-side access to the ChatGPT text prompt when you press Option + Space. The desktop version offers nearly identical functionality to the web-based iteration. Users can chat directly with the AI, query the system using natural language prompts in either text or voice, search through previous conversations, and upload documents and images for analysis. You can even take screenshots of either the entire screen or just a single window, for upload. In one example provided by the company, a user snaps a screenshot of some computer code they’re working on and has ChatGPT analyze it, then provide suggestions on how to improve it. The desktop app for macOS now gives you side-by-side access to ChatGPT. Use Option + Space to open a companion window, which stays in front so you can use it more easily when working with other apps. https://t.co/8jQ8cnBpda — OpenAI (@OpenAI) August 6, 2024 Now, while the app runs locally, the machine learning still happens in OpenAI’s cloud, so you will need an internet connection to use it. You’ll also need to be running macOS 14 and Apple Silicon M1 or better (a Windows iteration is expected later this year.) As you can see in the announcement video above, the desktop version even holds a few advantages over the online one. Users don’t actually have to upload entire documents for analysis, for example. You can simply highlight a selection of the document, then ask ChatGPT about it directly through the local text window. And while it doesn’t (yet) offer Advanced Voice Mode, the desktop version does allow users to use the existing Standard Voice Mode, which still brings us tantalizingly close to a future where we can regularly start conversations by shouting “Computer!“ Over the past couple of weeks, ChatGPT has been at the center of a few unsavory investigations. From doling out advice that landed a person in the hospital to numerous cases of self-harm, the AI chatbot’s failures have stirred serious scrutiny. The debate has reached a point where OpenAI is building parental controls and a warning system for parents. On the more “normal” side of things, ChatGPT has just received a feature update that will make conversations a lot more rewarding, especially if you intend to get some work done, or just have a multi-faceted conversation. That feature is called branched chats. OpenAI has today announced that it will soon launch its own job discovery platform that will let companies hire people with modern AI skills. Additionally, the company also plans to offer certificates for completing AI courses to upskill job seekers and help them land better roles. Where is this going? Over the past few months, numerous cases have emerged where interactions with AI chatbots have gone haywire, culminating in lost lives, medical trauma, and incidents of psychosis. Experts suggest young users could be particularly vulnerable, especially when they’re going through emotional turmoil. ChatGPT-maker OpenAI says it will soon warn parents about such behavior.