Tech Desk 
Dec 19, 2024
OpenAI has incorporated ChatGPT with WhatsApp, enabling users to message the chatbot through 1-800-242-8478 and resolve their queries outside United States (US). This latest feature is a part of OpenAI’s "12 days of Christmas" updates, and offers an intuitive gateway to engage with the fledgling artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
In addition, it allowed US-based users to call ChatGPT by dialling 1-800-CHATGPT. This is a free service; however, each phone number is confined to only 15 minutes of call time every month.
OpenAI’s announcement to integrate ChatGPT in WhatsApp is part of its broader strategy to make this AI technology accessible to all. This offers a basic experience in contrast to its comprehensive suite of features available on the main platform of ChatGPT. Concerning this, advanced users are suggested to continue using the traditional web-based ChatGPT for additional limits, personalisation options, and enhanced capabilities.
This progressive initiative by ChatGPT mirrors Google’s 2007 GOOG-411 project, which gathered voice samples for speech recognition. However, OpenAI clarified that it will not utilise the gathered data to train the large language models, ensuring data protection.
This significant move emphasises OpenAI’s efforts to make advanced AI accessible for daily use while managing maintenance costs efficiently. Additional updates include an AI text-to-video generator known as Sora and a premium subscription tier at $200/month.
Currently, the phone service is restricted to US-based users, while WhatsApp support is globally available.
