ChatGPT is ready to release a new interface, which it dubs “Canvas”, that could help computer programmers or writers achieve more fluid workflows. Canvas opens up a separate window, parallel to ChatGPT’s regular chat window, which can be used as a workspace for writing or coding projects.Rather than having to re-do a prompt every time you want a different output, users of Canvas will be able to highlight the lines of text or code produced by ChatGPT and edit them directly. In addition, Canvas will include a menu of shortcuts that allows you to ask ChatGPT to adjust your writing length, debug your code, change the reading level, and even suggest appropriate emojis. For coders, Canvas also has “Port to a language” shortcut which can translate your code into JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, C++, or PHP.Canvas will open automatically when ChatGPT detects a scenario which it could be helpful for. You can also include “use canvas” in your prompt to open up the tool and put it to work on an existing project.In addition, users can also restore previous versions of their work by using the back button in Canvas.The new tool, which could be good news for many programmers, comes as ChatGPT is starting to gain some approval from the wider academic community about its coding capabilities—at least in some respects. A study published in June found GPT-3.5 was able to solve easy coding problems in some of the most popular programming languages at least 89% of the time, though its success rate fell to just 40% in the case of hard problems.
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One of the researchers noted that though ChatGPT showed reasonable levels of proficiency at correcting other people’s code it sometimes “fails to understand the meaning of questions.” Canvas will become available to GPT Plus and Teams users on Thursday, while Enterprise and Edu users will have to wait until next week.The news comes after OpenAI rolled out GPT-o1, which had been codenamed “Strawberry” aimed at researchers, scientists, and developers who need to solve coding and math problems. OpenAI claimed the tool achieved comparable results to PhD students on many physics, chemistry, and biology tasks.
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About Will McCurdy
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I’m a reporter covering weekend news. Before joining PCMag in 2024, I picked up bylines in BBC News, The Guardian, The Times of London, The Daily Beast, Vice, Slate, Fast Company, The Evening Standard, The i, TechRadar, and Decrypt Media.I’ve been a PC gamer since you had to install games from multiple CD-ROMs by hand. As a reporter, I’m passionate about the intersection of tech and human lives. I’ve covered everything from crypto scandals to the art world, as well as conspiracy theories, UK politics, and Russia and foreign affairs.
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