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Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Technology
Amanda Caswell

I tried to use ChatGPT as a timer and it failed — here's why Sam Altman says it’s a year away from a fix

OpenAI logo with person in front.

It seems like there's never a "slow week" for AI. Big tech is constantly rolling out new features, chatbots regularly get updated and new models seem to pop up regularly. We’ve reached the point where AI is smart enough to pass the Bar Exam, write complex Python code and diagnose medical symptoms.

As a ChatGPT power user, I've tested the AI on several challenges meant to break it, yet, it still fails at a task so basic that a 1980s kitchen timer can do it — keep time. If you've ever tried to use ChatGPT as a legitimate personal assistant, you already know that we are still a ways out from the "Agentic AI" era.

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