ChatGPT bedtime

Sometimes I think about the long-term implications of products like ChatGPT. It’s amazing to me that this non-sentient entity that we have 24/7 access to landed in the same form-factor we use to communicate with friends and loved ones (ie, texting). It’s probably slowly melting our brains, but technological progress waits for no one, so yes, I do find myself asking ChatGPT something at 2 am every once and a while. It’s helpful.

This intrusive chain of thought got me thinking about the interaction and UI patterns we see in apps like iMessage. What happens if we transpose some of those into ChatGPT? For example, if someone has a set bedtime or simply turns on do not disturb, users will see a subtle purple indicator that states, “{contactName has notifications silenced}”.

It’s a subtle way to see people don’t want to be bothered. It’d be interesting (and potentially good for society) if ChatGPT adopted some of these boundaries. I’m no expert on human psychology, but 24/7 access to an entity like this can’t be healthy if we play the tape forward.

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