AI Code Assistants Struggle with File Access, Impacting User Workflows

Advanced AI tools designed to assist in software development and data analysis are encountering significant issues with file access, particularly with spreadsheet documents. Users have reported that models, including ChatGPT, are failing to properly read or locate specific worksheets within uploaded Excel files, hindering their ability to perform data analysis and other critical tasks.

These functional regressions, which emerged around late August, are forcing users to revert to manual methods or attempt workarounds that are often unsuccessful. The inability of AI assistants to reliably process complex data inputs raises concerns about their current dependability and the potential disruption to workflows that have come to rely on these technologies.