ChatGPT Plus: OpenAI launches subscription service for viral AI chatbot
CNN
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OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, announced Wednesday that it is piloting a $20 monthly subscription plan that offers users priority access to the AI chatbot even during peak hours.
The paid plan, called ChatGPT Plus, comes two months after the tool was released publicly and quickly went viral, thanks to its ability to generate shockingly persuasive essays in response to user prompts.
Many who wanted to test the tool have been banned or signed up to the waiting list. Now everyone who signs up for a subscription will benefit from faster response times and priority access to new features and improvements.
However, the tool will remain free to the public.
“We love our free users and will continue to offer free access to ChatGPT,” the company said in a blog post. “By offering this subscription price, we will be able to help support free access for as many people as possible.”
ChatGPT Plus will be made available first in the US and other countries soon after, according to the company. OpenAI said it will start inviting people from the waiting list in the coming weeks. The company also said it is “actively exploring options for cheaper plans, business plans and data packages for more availability.”
“The ChatGPT preview allowed us to learn from real-world usage, and we’ve made important improvements and updates based on feedback,” the company said in a statement to CNN.
Since being made available in late November, ChatGPT has been used to generate original essays, stories and song lyrics in response to user prompts. It has produced research reports that fooled some researchers. Some CEOs have even used it to write emails or do accounting work.
While it has gained traction among users, it has also raised some concerns, including about inaccuracies, its potential to perpetuate bias and spread misinformation, and the potential to help students cheat.
Earlier this week, OpenAI announced a new feature, called an “AI text classifier,” that allows users to check whether an essay is written by a human or AI. The release came amid concerns that the AI chatbot could help students and professionals craft persuasive essays. However, the new tool is “imperfect”, according to the company.
