RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.ZDNET's key takeawaysChatGPT can now connect to your text messages on your Mac.You can ask ChatGPT to send a text or search your existing message.Even cooler, you can ask the AI to analyze your texts.Like many people, I exchange frequent text messages with family, relatives, friends, and other individuals in my life. But I don't necessarily pause to understand how I'm communicating with them. Now I can ask ChatGPT for some armchair analysis based on those messages.On Thursday, OpenAI rolled out a new plugin for ChatGPT that connects to your Apple iMessages, but only on the Mac. With this new skill, you can ask ChatGPT to send a text to someone on your behalf. OK, that's not a big deal, as you can simply use the Messages app to send the text yourself. You can also tell the AI to find and summarize specific texts based on name, topic, and other criteria. OK, that sounds useful.Also: ChatGPT's new Computer History tracks your Mac activity to create a timeline - but should you let it?(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)But the coolest part is asking ChatGPT to analyze your messages, either in general or with a specific person. In response, the AI suggests ways to communicate more effectively.Here's how this works.To get started on your Mac, make sure you've updated ChatGPT to the latest version. In the app, click the ChatGPT menu at the top, select "Check for Update," and then allow the latest one to download and install.Next, click your account name at the bottom of the left pane and select Settings. At the Settings screen, look for the Integrations section and select Plugins. Click the Browse directory button, then start typing the word "Messages." Apple's Messages should appear among the results. Click the Install button next to its entry to add it.Also: Using AI for therapy? Don't - it's bad for your mental health, APA warnsAh, but there's more. You'll next be asked to grant ChatGPT the necessary permissions on your Mac to access your text messages. Yes, there are some privacy implications, as the AI needs to read your texts to deliver its results. If you're OK with this, then allow those permissions, and you're set.Send a messageAs the first step, you might want to simply compose and send a text message to someone. At the prompt, type "Send the following message to [name of person] using @." After you type the @, start typing the word Messages and then choose Apple Messages from the list of plugins. Type the message you wish to send and submit the prompt.You then have to allow the message to be sent, as ChatGPT won't send it on its own. However, you can tell it to always allow sending to this chat to avoid the confirmation in the future. OK, as I said, that's not so amazing, as you can just as easily use the Messages app yourself to send a text. So let's try something else.Search for and summarize messagesHow about searching for particular messages? At the prompt, type "Search for and summarize all the messages in @Messages that mention [topic]" or "Search for and summarize all messages in @Messages to [name of person.]" In return, ChatGPT delivers those results for you to review. OK, that's interesting.Also: Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman thinks you shouldn't trust AI for therapyFor this one, I asked it to find and summarize all the text messages that mention my cat, Mr. Giggles. The response was enlightening. ChatGPT not only revealed the main topics of the various exchanges but also highlighted key results from the vet over the years, along with other valuable information. Analyze messagesNow let's try the analysis part. Want to see how your exchanges with someone else sound and get some communication advice?At the prompt, type "Analyze my messages in @Messages with [name of person]." Here, ChatGPT describes the tone and topics of the messages and other details it notices about the exchanges. It may also offer suggestions on how to improve your communication.Also: How to use ChatGPT: A beginner's guide to mastering OpenAI's chatbot For example, I sent a message to a test account I use, complaining that the person kept canceling our dinner plans. In its analysis, ChatGPT told me that the message as I wrote it could invite defensiveness on the other person's part. The AI suggested how I could have better phrased my text to elicit a more productive response. I found that suggestion both illuminating and helpful.
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