Move over Google. ChatGPT has its own search capabilities. This comes in handy when I want to run an AI-powered search or engage in a conversation that taps into the latest online sources. Yes, Google does provide its own AI overview when you run a regular search, and that can be helpful. But ChatGPT's web search always gives me a straight answer with no distractions. I can easily ask follow-up questions to expand the search or take it in a different direction.

Available with a paid ChatGPT subscription (and coming soon to free users), Deep Research saves me a lot of time and effort by searching the internet on my behalf. With this type of agentic AI, ChatGPT will scan the web for sources to address my topic and compile a detailed report using the information it gathered. Depending on my request, Deep Research can take anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes from start to finish. But that's much faster than the hours it would take me to do the same thing.

Initially available to ChatGPT Pro subscribers, Deep Research is accessible to ChatGPT Plus, Team, Edu, and Enterprise users. However, non-Pro users are limited to 10 Deep Research requests per month, so you'll want to use this option judiciously.

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As an example, I asked ChatGPT's Deep Research to explore how time travel is portrayed in film and television and what it says about our values, fears, and desires. The AI suggested a few possible angles for the topic to help steer it in the right direction. After I narrowed the focus, Deep Research took to the web to start its research, keeping me updated along the way. It also explained why it chose one source over another.

The entire process took around 25 minutes. ChatGPT delivered a lengthy (but not too lengthy) report with solid details and depth into my topic. It also cited a variety of movies and TV episodes as examples, including one of my favorite Doctor Who stories from the 1970s, "Genesis of the Daleks," and my favorite Star Trek episode, "City on the Edge of Forever." Although written by an AI, the report was interesting and informative.

I like my AIs to know a little about me to make the conversations more personal. That doesn't mean I'm going to share any private or confidential information. But knowing my name, my profession, and a few other tidbits can help the AI feel more like a friendly aide and less like a cold, robotic voice.

With that in mind, ChatGPT lets you add certain personal details with both free and paid accounts. For this, browse to the ChatGPT website, launch the Windows program, or fire up the mobile app for iOS or Android. At the website or in the Windows program, click your profile icon in the upper right, select Settings, and then click Personalization. In the mobile app, tap the double lined icon in the upper left, select your profile icon, and tap Personalization.

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From there, select and turn on the option for Customize ChatGPT (Custom Instructions on Android). Add your name and your occupation. You can also add certain traits you'd like ChatGPT to adopt, such as chatty, witty, serious, friendly, encouraging, imaginative, or empathetic. Further, you can include other details the AI should know about you. When done, select Save.

Next, turn on the switch for memory. Head back to the chat screen and add details or preferences at the prompt you'd like the AI to incorporate. ChatGPT suggests the following: "Remember that I like concise responses." "I just got a puppy!" "What do you remember about me?" "Where did we leave off on my last project?"

You can then refer to your customizations in your chats. For instance, I've asked ChatGPT to reference my favorite TV shows or books that I've written. I've also asked for advice on dealing with my sweet tooth, my desire to get more exercise, and other goals that I've shared with the AI.

Devising the right prompt can be tricky, not just with ChatGPT but with any AI bot. That's why I often ask ChatGPT itself to write a good prompt for me. I used this recently when I was testing OpenAI's Sora video generator.

To try Sora's Storyboard feature required three separate prompts, all descriptive and creative. Instead of struggling on my own, I asked ChatGPT to generate the prompts based on my own character and scenario. In response, it served up three prompts with the right details and the right touch that I was then able to adapt to use with Sora.

The most helpful way that I use ChatGPT is as a replacement for Siri on my iPhone and iPad. With Apple's voice assistant so often unable to understand or answer even simple questions, ChatGPT is a much more adept alternative. If Siri is unable to respond to a request, it may automatically pass it along to ChatGPT. Otherwise, you can specifically ask Siri to call on ChatGPT.

To set this up on a supported iPhone, iPad, or Mac, go to Settings (System Settings on a Mac). Select Apple Intelligence & Siri and make sure the switch is on for Apple Intelligence. Next, select ChatGPT on the same screen, turn on the switch for Use ChatGPT and then follow the steps to set it up.

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For example, I might say: "Siri, ask ChatGPT to give me some travel tips for Paris." That's a question that would stump Siri. But ChatGPT delivers a concise yet helpful list of tips to respond to my request.