Imagine your job is to answer questions in a homeowners association (HOA) group chat about whether the power is on and when it will return based on a frequently updated schedule from the local utility company. Doesn't sound like the most exciting job, right? 😅

Here’s how we break down the task:

Distinguish a request about power availability from other chatter.

Identify the relevant group and time period the person is asking about.

Check the latest schedule from the utility company.

Formulate a response based on the current information.

Not exactly a dream job, and who knows how many such queries you'll get each day.

But now, here’s what we came up with! 🎉

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ChatGPT Assistants have functions they can execute autonomously. In other words, we can deploy a ChatGPT Assistant into the HOA group chat. It will quietly monitor the chat, waiting for someone to ask, "Is the power on?" When it does, the Assistant will ask for the relevant group and time, check the latest utility schedule, and respond in the chat.

Of course, this is just a general example, but similar functions could be used to search your local databases for:

Available dates for renting a cottage?

Available sizes and colors?

The price of something?

Your custom query...

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Update (October 2025)

Since this publication, we have turned the idea into a real solution.
Now, the same approach with ChatGPT assistants has become part of a full-fledged product — an AI assistant for Direct Instagram.

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It is integrated into Planfix and works as part of the CRM, rather than as a separate bot.

The assistant can:

✔ communicate with customers in Direct,

✔ search for products in your database,

✔ create orders or tasks in Planfix,

✔ work in the specified tone of the company,

and even initiate contact itself if the customer does not respond for a long time.

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More about implementation conditions and rates
If you are interested in how the AI assistant integration in Instagram Direct works, examples of scenarios, and the cost of connection,

check out the product page — AI Assistant for Instagram Direct.

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P.S. Would you try connecting ChatGPT to your HOA group chat? 💬

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