Automations
Background agents that work while you're away. Save a research topic and a cadence, and Chunk re-runs the research on schedule, then sends you a cited digest of only what's new.
What an automation does
A research automation is a query plus a schedule. Each time it runs, Chunk performs a fresh web research pass, compares it to the previous run, and produces a "what's new" digest — the new developments only, each with sources. The full report is saved to your research history, and you can optionally file it into a Collection. Think of it as a research assistant that keeps watching a topic after you've stopped looking.
Creating an automation
You can create an automation from the web or from the native app.
- On the web: open Automations from the sidebar (chunkapp.com/automations) and click "New Automation".
- On iPhone, iPad, or Mac: update to Chunk 2.5.0 or later, then open Workstation → Monitors → New Monitor.
- Enter your research query (up to 500 characters) — the more specific, the better the digests.
- Pick a cadence: daily, weekly, or monthly.
- Choose a report depth (Standard, Detailed, or Deep Research), and optionally set the writing tone, citation style, and a Collection to file reports into.
- The first run starts immediately and becomes your baseline — later runs are compared against it.
Reading your updates
The Automations list shows every automation with an unread badge and its next scheduled run. Open one to see a timeline of runs, each as a card with the headline development, the details, and its sources. Tap "Read the full report" on any run to open the complete saved research report.
Run it now
Don't want to wait for the schedule? Use "Run Now" to trigger an immediate check. This is limited to once per hour per automation to keep results meaningful and costs in check.
Getting notified
When a run finishes, Chunk can notify you by email and by push notification — both are on by default and can be toggled per automation. The notification summarizes how many new developments were found. On iPhone, iPad, and Mac, tapping the push opens that automation directly.
Create one straight from chat
When you're researching a topic that keeps evolving, Chunk may offer a "Monitor this topic" card right in the conversation — with a suggested query and cadence. One tap turns it into an automation, so you can set up ongoing tracking without leaving your chat.
Plans & limits
Automations are available on every plan, with higher limits on Pro.
- Free: 1 active research automation, weekly or monthly cadence, Standard reports.
- Pro: up to 5 active research automations, adds daily cadence and Detailed / Deep Research reports.
- Run Now is limited to once per hour per automation on all plans.