OpenAI has introduced Canvas, an innovative feature designed to enhance productivity for users working on detailed writing or coding projects.
OpenAI announces Canvas: Here’s everything we know
Available exclusively on GPT-4o, Canvas provides an interactive workspace where users can make edits, seek in-line suggestions, and manage larger projects with ease.
The announcement comes shortly after Cognition Labs unveiled Devin, an AI engineered to assist with complex software engineering tasks.
While Devin focuses on generating, refactoring, and maintaining codebases, Canvas emphasises collaboration and real-time editing for a broader range of writing and coding activities.
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Canvas activates automatically when ChatGPT detects tasks that would benefit from the tool, such as writing content over 10 lines or drafting code.
Users can also manually launch Canvas by including the command “use canvas” in their prompts or selecting the option from the toolbar in ChatGPT’s interface.
Once activated, Canvas opens a workspace alongside the chat interface, allowing users to directly input, edit, or paste content.
Tools such as a block comment icon and shortcut menu make it easy to provide guidance or request specific edits.
Core features of Canvas
Canvas is tailored to meet the needs of modern writers and developers, featuring:
- In-Line Feedback: Suggestions and comments are provided directly within the text or code.
- Version History: Users can navigate and restore previous iterations of their projects with a click.
- Code Execution: Python code can be executed directly within Canvas, with an integrated console displaying outputs and error suggestions.
- Formatting Tools: Basic markdown support for headers, bullet points, and italics enhances readability and customization.
In contrast, Devin is optimised for engineering teams, offering tools like API integration, automated pull request generation, and task-specific learning.
Canvas integrates seamlessly into tools like IDEs and Slack, allowing users to hand off asynchronous tasks or review updates at their convenience.
Shortcuts are also available for common tasks, such as revising reading levels, adding polish, or addressing bugs.
Similarly, Devin operates in collaborative environments, using Slack threads and IDE extensions to handle tasks and notify users upon completion.
However, while Devin is specifically engineered for engineering workflows, Canvas offers a more generalised platform for writing and coding projects.
Currently, Canvas is only accessible to GPT-4o users, with availability limited by the model’s usage cap.
Users must wait for their GPT-4o limits to reset before continuing extensive work on Canvas.
Future updates are expected to expand functionality to other programming languages beyond Python and introduce additional formatting options.
To explore Canvas, users can access it via ChatGPT’s web app or include the “canvas” command in their prompts.
