OpenAI Launches ‘Canvas’ for Writing and Coding in ChatGPT

OpenAI has introduced a new interface for ChatGPT called “Canvas,” designed specifically for writing and coding projects. This new tool provides users with a separate workspace window alongside the regular chat interface, where they can generate, edit, and refine their work. The Canvas feature allows users to highlight sections of writing or code and make adjustments directly, streamlining collaboration with ChatGPT. Currently, Canvas is rolling out in beta to ChatGPT Plus and Teams, with Enterprise and Edu tier users gaining access next week.

Editable Workspaces as a New Standard

OpenAI’s Canvas is part of a broader trend among consumer AI providers, who are converging around editable workspaces as a practical way to use generative AI. The new interface offers features similar to competitors like Anthropic’s Artifacts and the coding assistant Cursor. By offering more intuitive and flexible workspaces, OpenAI aims to grow its paid user base while keeping up with — and surpassing — competitor offerings.

Improving Collaboration with ChatGPT

Today’s AI chatbots aren’t able to complete large projects with a single prompt, but they can provide a good foundation for users to build on. Editable workspaces like Canvas make it easier to fix mistakes without regenerating entire sections. OpenAI Product Manager Daniel Levine explained that the Canvas interface offers a more natural way to collaborate with ChatGPT on projects.

How Canvas Works

In a demo with TechCrunch, users could select “GPT-4o with canvas” from the model picker, though OpenAI indicated that Canvas windows will pop up automatically when ChatGPT detects a longer or more complex project. Alternatively, users can simply type “use canvas” to open the project window.

For writing projects, Canvas offers features like adjusting the length of the text, rewriting sentences, and even translating the entire output into another language. For example, if users want to generate an email, they can highlight specific sentences and ask ChatGPT to make them friendlier, add emojis, or make other edits.

Canvas for Coding

The coding functionality in Canvas is slightly different from the writing tools. During the demo, Levine used Canvas to generate an API web server in Python. Users can click an “add comments” button to insert in-line documentation explaining the code. Highlighting a section of code allows users to ask ChatGPT to explain it further or answer questions about it. Canvas also includes a “code review” feature, which suggests specific edits to improve the code. If the user approves, ChatGPT will attempt to fix any bugs automatically.

Expanding Access Beyond Beta

While Canvas is currently in beta for paid users, OpenAI plans to expand this feature to free users once the testing phase is complete, making it accessible to a broader audience.

What This Means for Users

The introduction of Canvas marks a significant step in making AI-powered tools more interactive and useful for complex projects. By allowing users to generate and edit content directly in a separate workspace, Canvas makes it easier to collaborate with AI and refine outputs without having to re-prompt. As OpenAI continues to evolve its offerings, features like Canvas provide a more natural, efficient way for users to tackle writing and coding tasks, positioning ChatGPT as a valuable tool in both creative and technical workflows.