Now, It's Possible to Initiate a Phone Conversation with ChatGPT
If you're ever feeling alone and need someone to chat with, OpenAI has you sorted. The tech giant unveiled that individuals can now directly converse with ChatGPT over the phone at 1-800-CHATGPT (242-8478). Users get a 15-minute limit per month, and international users can text ChatGPT on WhatsApp at the same number.
OpenAI has been emphasizing voice and video communications as a more organic way to interact with ChatGPT. By enabling the app's video option, users can ask the bot questions about its visual feedback.
Today's announcement might appear as a low-cost publicity stunt– people engaging with ChatGPT are likely tech-savvy, after all, and might already be interacting with the bot through an app. However, OpenAI justifies this move by wanting to introduce ChatGPT to novice users. The company confirmed to The Verge that these conversations will not be utilized for training. It's worth noting that OpenAI initially positioned itself as a non-profit organization committed to enhancing human life. Times change.
Individuals seeking more advanced features or higher usage limits should stick to the regular ChatGPT app. This mirrors ChatGPT's current integration with iOS through Siri, where certain queries are redirected for the bot to answer, but for the full experience, users will need to access the ChatGPT app directly. This integration with iOS aims to popularize the product among Apple's massive userbase of over one billion.
OpenAI has been regularly introducing new products lately as part of its “12 Days of Shipmas.” Some announcements have been more substantial, such as the release of the Sora video generator and Canvas, a new interface for ChatGPT. It seems that today's announcement was more of a filler.
The future of tech and artificial intelligence is being shaped by OpenAI, as they continue to explore voice and video communications for their chatbot, ChatGPT. As part of their commitment to making technology more accessible, OpenAI is allowing users to interact with ChatGPT via phone and WhatsApp, expanding its reach beyond the tech-savvy crowd.
