When I look back at smartphone apps that were released or discovered in 2023 I think of productivity apps, apps that help around the house, and apps that keep us entertained and safe.
While making a very short list of apps I consider to be the best of the best, I can narrow the list down to four which I’m looking at this week.
It’s crazy that this time last year, few people had ever heard of ChatGPT. When word about the free AI tool started going around in January it captured the attention of nearly everyone around the world. At the time, it could be used only in a web browser and it took until May before an official ChatGPT app would be released in the Apple App Store.
At last count, the app has been downloaded over 20 million times worldwide and is now available for both iPhone and Android devices.
The ChatGPT app hit the Apple app store in the spring and launched for Android devices later in the year. The app is faster than using the ChatGPT website. If you use the platform often, the app makes it convenient to make requests and copy and paste results into a messaging app. It also syncs your history with the desktop ChatGPT account.
Updates make it possible to chat with ChatGPT using your voice where you can ask the assistant for ideas, or play a game. It’s as if you’re speaking to another person or companion and much easier than using ChatGPT in a browser.
If you’re unfamiliar with ChatGPT, it’s a platform where you can ask for anything and get instant results as if it’s coming from a human rather than a Google search return. For example, you can ask ChatGPT to write a paper, blog post, song, or movie script and in seconds, artificial intelligence will create what you asked for.
Real estate agents use it to help create listings. Teachers use it for lesson plans, and they’ll even plan a vacation based on what they enjoy doing. Ask it for restaurant suggestions in a city you’ll be visiting, and for gift ideas for a special occasion. With the app you can play a game just ask What games can we play? and the ChatGPT voice will suggest games such as 20 Questions which you can play together.
But be careful which ChatGPT app you download and install. The official ChatGPT app is from Open AI. It’s free for iPhone and Android devices.
