A very interesting feature is debuting in the app ChatGPT for Mac: connection with third-party software. More specifically, with programming applications such as Xcode and Visual Studio Code. The feature is now available as an early beta for ChatGPT Plus and Team subscribers, while in the coming weeks it will expand to Enterprise and Edu plans.
Specifically, this ChatGPT tool for Mac is called Work with Appsor work with apps. If any of the supported editors or development environments are enabled, the OpenAI chatbot will be able to read their contentpreventing users from having to copy and paste your code into the conversation to make a query.
According to they explain those of Sam Altman, when working with VS Code, Xcode or TextEdit, ChatGPT will be able to access all the content of the editor panels that are open until a truncation limit is reached. In the event that users have selected a fragment of the code, the OpenAI app will focus on that segment to provide a response; however, it will use the entire contents of the panel as context.
When it comes to its integration with macOS Terminal or iTerm2, ChatGPT for Mac will analyze the last 200 lines of open panels. If only a piece of text has been selected in an open panel, the program will see that and some of the surrounding content up to the truncation limit.
How ChatGPT for Mac integration with programming apps works
Those who have the ChatGPT app installed on their Mac will see a new icon appear in the chat bar next to the ChatGPT Search one. By tapping on it, a panel will be displayed with the 5 apps that are currently compatible, and you can enable the ones you want. Those who use Visual Studio Code will have to install an extension, while the rest take advantage of macOS Accessibility API to function.
When you make a query linked to content in XCode, iTerm2, TextEdit, VS Code, or the Terminal, ChatGPT for Mac will analyze the information and provide a response. Please note, however, that OpenAI software cannot yet send the response directly to the editors or development environments in question. So if you ask it to fix a bug in your code, then you will have to copy the response and paste it into your favorite app.
In terms of privacy, OpenAI indicates that those who do not want to use this new function can deactivate it from the ChatGPT for Mac settings. This will not only prevent integration with third-party programs, but will also remove the Work with Apps of the chatbot interface.
Programming apps are the initial step
A crucial point to consider is that all responses provided by the AI will be saved in the conversation history, unless the ephemeral or temporary chats option is activated. Please note that OpenAI may use content uploaded by users—except those who subscribe to Enterprise—to optimize the performance of its language models.
If you are working with proprietary codebe careful with this new feature of ChatGPT for Mac. You will most likely need to first get some good advice on how it works before throwing information that could be confidential at it.
Integration with programming apps is just ChatGPT for Mac’s first step on this new path. From OpenAI they indicate that the objective is incorporate more compatible programs in the futurealthough for now it is unknown what type they would be. Nowadays it is quite common for programmers to use AI chatbots to review, optimize or fix their code, so Work with Apps It is an interesting starting point to experiment.
