19th May 2023 – (New York) OpenAI has launched an iOS app for its popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, with an Android version set to follow soon. The app is free to use, and its chat history syncs with the web. It also features voice input, supported by OpenAI’s open-source speech recognition model Whisper. The app works on both iPhones and iPads and is available for download from the App Store. OpenAI is rolling out the app in the United States first, with plans to expand to other countries in the coming weeks. However, the app is not available in Hong Kong.
The launch of the app is a significant development, given the growing popularity of ChatGPT. The AI chatbot was launched in November 2020 and has since gained a massive following. Some estimates suggest that by January 2021, it had attracted 100 million users, although OpenAI has not confirmed these figures.
OpenAI’s approach to positioning ChatGPT in the market has been somewhat ambivalent. Although the chatbot was launched as an experiment, it rapidly found a consumer audience who use it for everything from cheating on college essays to business applications. In February 2021, OpenAI launched a premium subscription for the app, ChatGPT Plus, which offers priority access and responses generated using the company’s latest language model, GPT-4. The premium subscription costs $20 per month.
Until now, the best way to access OpenAI’s language models on mobile has been through Microsoft’s Bing app, which offers access to the company’s GPT-4-powered chatbot. However, with the launch of an official ChatGPT app, OpenAI hopes to attract users away from Microsoft and other third-party apps that claim to offer access to the chatbot. These unofficial apps are often spammy or fake and can compromise users’ privacy and security.
Although the launch of the ChatGPT app is a welcome development for fans of the chatbot, it is not without its challenges. One of the main issues is the bot’s tendency to provide inaccurate or fabricated information with complete confidence. This can be a problem in situations where users rely on the chatbot’s responses for important decisions. OpenAI has attempted to address this issue by launching ChatGPT Plus, which uses the company’s latest language model to generate more accurate and reliable responses.
Privacy is another key concern with the ChatGPT app, as it is with any chatbot or messaging app. OpenAI has recently given users the option to make their conversations private, but the app’s home screen still warns users not to share sensitive information on the platform. As with any app that collects and processes user data, there is always a risk of data breaches or unauthorized access to personal information.
Despite these challenges, the launch of the ChatGPT app is a significant step forward for OpenAI and the field of natural language processing. The app’s voice input feature, supported by OpenAI’s open-source speech recognition model Whisper, is particularly noteworthy, as it allows users to interact with thechatbot more naturally and easily. Moreover, the app’s availability on iOS and Android devices makes it more accessible to a wider audience, potentially expanding its user base and reach.