Why I Pay for ChatGPT (And Why You Might Want To)
by Fauzia Burke, in AI
The other day, I caught myself doing something I swore I’d never do—talking to my AI like a real assistant. “Can you keep track of which AI tools I’ve recommended in my newsletters?” I typed like it was a person taking notes for me. And you know what? It did.
Not just at that moment but going forward. Next time I needed to reference a tool, ChatGPT had already remembered which ones I’d suggested and even reminded me to mix things up. That’s the kind of thing that makes this AI so much more than a glorified reminder app. It doesn’t just store information—it helps me think, organize, and follow through.
For example, instead of using Google Alerts (which, let’s be honest, are about as targeted as throwing a dart in the dark), I use ChatGPT’s Task feature to track the news that actually matters to me. Every morning, it pulls together summaries of industry updates, AI trends, and book publicity news, neatly organizing them into an email I can skim over coffee. No fluff, no irrelevant headlines—just the highlights I need.
I also use it to keep me informed without the doomscrolling. Instead of getting lost in a sea of clickbait, I have a Task that delivers key headlines by category—publishing, AI, and media updates. That way, I stay in the loop without falling into the endless scroll trap.
And let’s not forget privacy. With the paid version of ChatGPT, my chats aren’t used to train OpenAI’s models. That means I can brainstorm content, draft ideas, and store my running to-do list without worrying that my work is fed into the AI hive mind.
Now, before you ask—no, OpenAI isn’t paying me to say this. They don’t even know I exist. But I gladly hand over $20 a month because this tool saves me time, keeps me organized, and frankly makes my work easier. The free version is great for quick answers, but if you’re using ChatGPT to run your business, streamline your workflow, or just stay ahead of information overload, the upgrade is absolutely worth it.
And yes, I still say “please” and “thank you” to my AI assistant. I’m not a monster.
© 2025 Fauzia Burke. All rights reserved.