OpenAI highlighted that this functionality provides access to ChatGPT even in areas lacking internet connectivity
In a continued process to make artificial general intelligence or AGI accessible to all, OpenAI has integrated ChatGPT into Meta's WhatsApp. The Microsoft-backed artificial intelligence (AI) startup announced on December 18 that this facility will be available for users without a different app and they can chat with ChatGPT directly on WhatsApp.
This experimental service, 1-800-ChatGPT, will enable users in Canada and the United States to connect directly with the AI. However, it may attract a standard carrier fees. While users in both countries need to dial 1-800-CHATGPT or 1-800-242-8478 to connect, other operational countries can even connect through texts. However, the service is unavailable in India.
“We care about reducing barriers for more people to try AI and see what it can do,” said Antonia W, product manager at OpenAI, during the live demo.
OpenAI noted that ChatGPT will never be the one to initiate a call or start a chat with users on WhatsApp.
The phone call feature uses Advanced Voice Mode to facilitate natural language conversations. OpenAI highlighted that this functionality provides access to ChatGPT even in areas lacking internet connectivity.
The announcement was made as part of the AI start-up's “12 days of OpenAI” series. Notably, Meta already provides access to Meta AI on WhatsApp.
Users can talk to 1-800-ChatGPT for 15 minutes per month for free, with a daily limit on WhatsApp messages. It is also best suitable to quieter environments with headphones or earphones as background noise may be misinterpreted as prompts.
The knowledge cutoff for 1-800-ChatGPT is October 2023.
Users will also be not able to add ChatGPT to group chats. Chances are there that it may not respond to users prompts since it is still under improvement.
Recently, OpenAI has been expanding its reach across various platforms and technologies, broadening its impact beyond traditional AI applications.
On December 17, it started rolling out ChatGPT’s AI search engine to all users. The AI startup has also upgraded the built-in search engine with new features. This enables users to receive more relevant details as each search option shows a short description and a thumbnail with a link to the relevant webpage.
Previously, it has launched its much-anticipated AI video generator, Sora Turbo, as a standalone product for Plus and Pro users. Sora is a text-to-video generator that is capable of creating AI video clips based on user prompts.