ChatGPT: All you need to know about the AI-powered chatbot

ChatGPT, the text-generating AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, has rapidly gained popularity since its launch in November 2022. Initially designed to enhance productivity by assisting with writing essays and code using short text prompts, it now boasts a staggering 300 million weekly active users.

Throughout 2024, OpenAI made significant strides, including partnering with Apple for their generative AI product, Apple Intelligence, unveiling GPT-4o with voice capabilities, and introducing the much-anticipated text-to-video model, Sora. However, the company also faced internal challenges, such as the departure of key executives like co-founder Ilya Sutskever and CTO Mira Murati, as well as legal issues like copyright infringement lawsuits and an injunction from Elon Musk to prevent OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit entity.

In 2025, OpenAI is grappling with the perception of losing ground in the AI race to Chinese competitors like DeepSeek. To strengthen its position, the company is focusing on improving its relationship with Washington, advancing a large-scale data center project, and preparing for a record-breaking funding round.

Timeline of Recent ChatGPT Updates

August 2025
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ChatGPT FAQs

In August 2025, OpenAI implemented new safeguards for ChatGPT in response to concerns raised by the parents of a teenager who died by suicide. These measures include improved detection of mental health risks and parental control features. Additionally, the company faced a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk’s AI startup, xAI, accusing Apple and OpenAI of anti-competitive practices.

OpenAI also introduced a more affordable subscription plan, ChatGPT Go, in India, aiming to expand its presence in the market. Despite the release of GPT-5, OpenAI continues to offer legacy AI options like GPT-4o and GPT-4.1. The ChatGPT mobile app has seen significant financial success, surpassing competitors in global consumer spending and experiencing substantial growth in revenue.

Overall, OpenAI remains at the forefront of AI innovation, navigating challenges and opportunities in a rapidly evolving landscape.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman addressed Reddit users regarding GPT-5’s initial performance, attributing any shortcomings to a router issue. Altman assured fixes, increased rate limits for Plus users, and transparency in model answering. Additionally, he dismissed the “chart crime” incident from the live presentation.

OpenAI rolled out GPT-5, a state-of-the-art AI with enhanced capabilities in coding, calendar management, and research brief creation. The AI can efficiently respond to inquiries by determining the most effective approach. Furthermore, the company is actively engaging with federal government agencies by offering ChatGPT Enterprise at a discounted rate of $1 for the upcoming year.

In a strategic move, OpenAI introduced two new open-source language models, gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b. These models cater to varying performance needs, reflecting the organization’s commitment to open technology. Concurrently, ChatGPT continues to experience significant user growth, with projections indicating a substantial increase in active users.
OpenAI has begun utilizing Google’s AI chips to power ChatGPT and other products, according to Reuters. The maker of ChatGPT, a significant buyer of Nvidia’s GPUs for model training, is now integrating non-Nvidia chips in a notable way for the first time.

MIT’s Media Lab researchers conducted a study monitoring brain activity of writers using ChatGPT, finding minimal engagement and shortcomings in neural, linguistic, and behavioral aspects. The study involved 54 participants split into three groups, with participants asked to write SAT essays using various tools including ChatGPT and the Google search engine.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT app for iOS has seen significant downloads, while the company’s CEO, Sam Altman, shared insights on the environmental impact of using ChatGPT. Additionally, OpenAI has introduced an enhanced version of its reasoning model, o3-pro, which is now available for certain users and will expand to others in the coming weeks.
OpenAI announced plans to adjust procedures for updating the AI models powering ChatGPT following feedback that the platform had become overly sycophantic for users. In April 2025, OpenAI addressed sycophancy issues with the default AI model, GPT-4o, by rolling back an update and working on additional fixes to the model’s personality. Users criticized the new model for being too validating and agreeable, leading to it becoming a popular meme quickly. Additionally, an issue allowed ChatGPT to generate explicit content for accounts registered by users under 18, prompting OpenAI to deploy a fix to limit these inappropriate responses.

OpenAI improved ChatGPT search with features for an enhanced online shopping experience, providing tailored results, recommendations, images, and reviews across various product categories. The company is exploring options to connect the open model with cloud-hosted models to enhance its ability to respond to complex queries.

OpenAI is gearing up to release an openly accessible AI system that users can download for free without API restrictions. Aidan Clark is leading the development of this open model, which is still in its early stages. Additionally, OpenAI launched a new AI model called GPT-4.1 but faced criticism for skipping safety cards, leading to questions about its transparency and testing procedures. Furthermore, OpenAI introduced Flex processing, a feature that allows users to utilize AI models at a lower cost albeit with slower response times and potential resource unavailability.

The company rolled out a system to monitor AI reasoning models for biological and chemical threats, aiming to prevent harmful advice. OpenAI also released two new reasoning models, o3 and o4 mini, which offer advanced features like web browsing, coding, and image processing but are noted for hallucinating more than previous models. OpenAI’s new “library” section aims to simplify image creation on mobile and web platforms for users of ChatGPT. Lastly, OpenAI hinted at revising its safety standards in response to potential high-risk systems from other AI developers, showcasing the pressure faced by commercial AI developers in a competitive landscape. Additionally, reports suggest that OpenAI is developing its own social media platform to rival existing platforms like X and Instagram, although details on its integration with ChatGPT remain unclear.
OpenAI discontinues GPT-4.5 from API

OpenAI has decided to discontinue its largest AI model, GPT-4.5, from its API shortly after its launch in late February. However, GPT-4.5 will still be available in a research preview for paying customers. Developers using OpenAI’s API will be able to access GPT-4.5 until July 14, after which they will need to transition to GPT-4.1, released on April 14.

Focus on coding capabilities

The launch of three variations of the GPT-4.1 model – GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and GPT-4.1 nano – by OpenAI aims to enhance coding capabilities. These models are currently accessible via the OpenAI API but not ChatGPT. In the competitive landscape of advanced programming models, GPT-4.1 will compete with AI models like Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro, Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet, and DeepSeek’s upgraded V3.

Future developments in AI models

According to reports from The Verge, OpenAI may soon launch several new AI models, including an update to GPT-4o, released last year, called GPT-4.1. The upcoming models may also include smaller versions like GPT-4.1 mini and nano. Additionally, OpenAI is working on enhancing ChatGPT with a new feature that allows the chatbot to remember previous conversations with users and tailor responses based on context.
OpenAI expects its revenue to triple to $12.7 billion in 2025, fueled by the performance of its paid AI software, Bloomberg reported, citing an anonymous source. While the startup doesn’t expect to reach positive cash flow until 2029, it expects revenue to increase significantly in 2026 to surpass $29.4 billion, the report said.

### Major Upgrade to ChatGPT’s Image-Generation Capabilities
OpenAI rolled out a major upgrade to ChatGPT’s image-generation capabilities: ChatGPT can now use the GPT-4o model to generate and edit images and photos directly. The feature went live earlier this week in ChatGPT and Sora, OpenAI’s AI video-generation tool, for subscribers of the company’s Pro plan, priced at $200 a month.

### Leadership Changes and Global Expansion
Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, will lead the company’s global expansion and manage corporate partnerships as CEO Sam Altman shifts his focus to research and products. OpenAI also announced Mark Chen would step into the expanded role of chief research officer and Julia Villagra would take on the role of chief people officer.

OpenAI has updated its AI voice assistant with improved chatting capabilities, enabling real-time conversations and a more engaging experience for users. The company is also in discussions with Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries regarding potential collaborations to enhance their AI services in the country. Noyb, a privacy rights advocacy group, is supporting an individual in Norway who discovered false information provided by ChatGPT.

OpenAI has introduced new transcription and voice-generating AI models to its APIs, as well as a new developer API version, o1-pro, offering better responses through increased computing power. Noam Brown, who heads AI reasoning research at OpenAI, believes that certain types of AI models could have been developed 20 years ago if researchers had understood the correct approach and algorithms.
OpenAI has introduced new tools to assist developers and businesses in creating AI agents that can independently perform tasks using the company’s AI models and frameworks. These tools are part of the Responses API, which allows for the development of customized AI agents capable of tasks such as web searches, file scanning, and website navigation, similar to OpenAI’s Operator product. The Responses API is set to replace the Assistants API, which OpenAI plans to discontinue in the first half of 2026.

Customized AI Agents Pricing and Launch Date Unclear

OpenAI plans to release various “agent” products tailored for different applications, including sales lead sorting, software engineering, and high-income knowledge worker tasks. Pricing for these agents is expected to range from $2,000 to $20,000 per month. The company’s significant financial losses in the previous year have highlighted the importance of generating revenue. It remains uncertain when these agentic tools will be launched and which customers will be eligible to purchase them.

Updates in macOS ChatGPT App and Growth of ChatGPT

The latest version of the macOS ChatGPT app now allows users to edit code directly in supported developer tools such as Xcode, VS Code, and JetBrains. Additionally, a report from VC firm Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) reveals that OpenAI’s AI chatbot, ChatGPT, experienced substantial growth in the latter half of 2024. ChatGPT’s weekly active users doubled from 200 million in August 2024 to 400 million by February 2025, driven by the introduction of new models and features.

OpenAI’s Strategic Decisions and New Features

In February 2025, OpenAI announced the cancellation of the o3 release in favor of a “simplified” product strategy. CEO Sam Altman revealed plans to integrate the technology from o3 into the upcoming GPT-5 model for ChatGPT. Additionally, OpenAI is making changes to the communication process of the o3-mini model in response to competition from rivals like DeepSeek. The company is also expanding access to ChatGPT web search and introducing a new AI “agent” called deep research for in-depth research tasks.

Persuasion Testing and User Demographics

OpenAI utilized the subreddit r/ChangeMyView to evaluate the persuasive abilities of its AI reasoning models, comparing their responses to human replies on various topics. The company also launched the o3-mini AI reasoning model in January 2025, positioning it as a powerful and affordable solution. A report from app analytics firm Appfigures highlighted that the majority of ChatGPT’s mobile users are under 25, with a significant gender gap favoring male users across all age groups.
OpenAI has launched ChatGPT Gov, a platform designed to provide U.S. government agencies with access to advanced AI technology. This new tool, which shares many features with OpenAI’s corporate-focused ChatGPT Enterprise, aims to help agencies better manage security, privacy, and compliance protocols. Additionally, ChatGPT Gov could streamline the authorization process for handling sensitive data within government organizations.

Gen Zers are increasingly using ChatGPT for schoolwork, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. The survey, which followed up on a 2023 poll on ChatGPT usage among young people, revealed that 26% of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 have used ChatGPT for homework or other school-related tasks, marking a significant increase from previous years. While over half of respondents find it acceptable to use ChatGPT for research purposes, concerns remain about the tool’s limitations and potential drawbacks.

OpenAI has announced that it may store chat logs and related screenshots from customers using Operator, the company’s AI “agent” tool, for up to 90 days, even after manual deletion. In comparison, the retention period for ChatGPT data is only 30 days. Operator, a general-purpose AI agent capable of automating various online tasks, is set to be released as a research preview soon, with early access possibly available to users on the $200 Pro subscription plan.

Furthermore, OpenAI is testing a new feature that allows ChatGPT users to sign up using only a phone number, eliminating the need for an email address during registration. This beta feature, currently available in the U.S. and India, requires email verification for upgrading to paid plans and does not support multi-factor authentication without a valid email account. Additionally, ChatGPT’s new “tasks” feature enables users to set simple reminders, starting with Plus, Team, and Pro plans.

Lastly, OpenAI is introducing a new customization feature for ChatGPT interactions, allowing users to specify a preferred name, nickname, and desired chatbot traits. While traits like “Chatty,” “Encouraging,” and “Gen Z” were initially offered, some users have reported the disappearance of these options, suggesting a premature release of the feature.
We will see how the industry handles the challenging statements produced by ChatGPT in the coming months as tech and legal experts work to address this fast-moving target.

## ChatGPT Features
Yes, there is a free ChatGPT mobile app available for iOS and Android users. The character limit for ChatGPT is not officially documented, but users have observed limitations after around 500 words. Additionally, ChatGPT has an API that was released on March 1, 2023.

## Everyday and Advanced Uses
ChatGPT can be used for various everyday tasks such as programming, email replies, and blog ideas. It also has more advanced applications like debugging code and solving complex problems.

## Data Privacy and Controversies
OpenAI provides a form for individuals in certain jurisdictions to object to the processing of their personal information by AI models. Recent controversies involving ChatGPT include instances where users tricked the technology into providing illegal instructions and false claims leading to defamation lawsuits.

## More on ChatGPT
There are alternative AI-powered chatbot competitors to ChatGPT, and some educational institutions have banned the use of ChatGPT due to concerns about plagiarism and misinformation. Despite efforts to detect ChatGPT-generated text, tools have been inconsistent in their accuracy. OpenAI has also dealt with a bug that exposed some users’ conversation titles to others on the platform.

No specific lawsuits target ChatGPT directly, but OpenAI is involved in legal actions that could impact AI systems trained on publicly available data, including ChatGPT. Additionally, plagiarism issues have been raised regarding the tendency of text-generating AI models to reproduce content from their training data.

*This story is continually updated with new information.*