Note: This solution requires ChatGPT 4.
ChatGPT lacks the ability to provide real-time date and time stamps within conversations. We depend on date stamps for almost everything we do on our devices, from photos, emails, text messages, to documents, etc. The absence of such a basic and useful feature is baffling. Date stamps would provide a clear and chronological context to any discussion. Name Stamp
See the ChatGPT Builder App datestamp in action:
Here is what datestamp does.
Fortunately, I've written a ChatGPT Builder app called datestamp that solves these three shortcomings.
This can be done on desktop or mobile versions of ChatGPT 4.
That's all there is to it! Type /help to learn more or /toc for a Table of Contents containg the date stamp and the first sentence or two from the response.
Hopefully you will do this in an instant - or my title was click bait.
Once you have used datestamp once, you should be able to type in @datestamp in any chat session on the desktop version.
Warning: At the time of this article, using datestamp as a @mention had some technical issues with ChatGPT. Perhaps they are still working on @mentions - it is a brand-new feature, after all.
It is easy to build and customize your own ChatGPT Builder date_stamp app. All the source code is available on GitHub and is MIT licensed, allowing for easy access and modification.
Be aware that AImarkdown Language is in the early stages of development. Maybe someday, ChatGPT will natively support a simple structured language like AImarkdown for building apps and customizing ChatGPT.
It is true that you can ask ChatGPT for the current date, and it will often report the current date, but this is not reliable at all. If you visit the same chat session the next day and ask for the current date, don’t be surprised if ChatGPT gives yesterday's date. I've tried solutions like using Python or JavaScript, but to no avail. Even trying to fool ChatGPT will not work dependably. Oddly, ChatGPT seems unaware that it fails to handle this basic functionality. Currently, the only dependable way of getting current dates and times is to use an API inside of a ChatGPT Builder Action - and that is exactly what datestamp does. Chat Builder Actions are at the very bottom of Configuration tab. Actions allow for calling APIs.
Rather than clutter this article with ChatGPT's full response to lack of date awareness, I'm providing a shared chat session. I don't fully understand it, but it is worth a read if you want to dig deeper into this issue.
I will however, included a couple of main points that ChatGPT makes:
Complete Chat session at: Shared chat defending shortcoming
The competitors seem to fair no better when it comes to date awareness.
Microsoft Bing Copilot Reports: Today's date is always the same as the creation_date of the first response in a session. Similar issues to ChatGPT.
Google’s Gemini Advanced Reports: Gemini responded with: Unfortunately, I can't pinpoint the exact date of my first response in this session.
The datestamp App not only fills a gap left by ChatGPT but also sets a new standard for AI-driven communication tools. By incorporating features like date stamping and a Table of Contents, it elevates the user experience, making it more intuitive and valuable for a wide range of users. Wouldn't it be nice if ChatGPT could show the creation_date and revision_dated as information where the name of the chat session is on the sidebar? Unfortunately, this is impossible with ChatGPT Builder.
Plastic Self Inking Stamp For Kids Flash Give datestamp a try and enhance your ChatGPT experience. I look forward to hearing about your experiences and any feedback you might have.