In a surprising move to make AI more accessible, OpenAI has expanded ChatGPT’s reach beyond smartphones and computers to traditional landline phones and WhatsApp. Users can now dial 1-800-CHATGPT (1-800-242-8478) to interact with the AI assistant through voice calls.
“Our mission at OpenAI is to make artificial general intelligence beneficial to all of humanity, and part of that is making it as accessible as possible,” explained Kevin Weil, OpenAI’s chief product officer, during a recent livestream. The phone service offers an experience similar to ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode, allowing users to engage in real-time conversations and request various tasks, including language translation.
For U.S. users, OpenAI provides 15 minutes of free calling time per session, though standard carrier fees may apply. The service simply ends after the time limit is reached.
Simultaneously, OpenAI has launched ChatGPT on WhatsApp, offering a text-based interaction option. While this version provides basic conversational capabilities, it lacks the customization features found in the official ChatGPT app. No account is required to use either service, though WhatsApp users face daily usage limits. Once these limits are reached, users are prompted to continue their interactions through the official ChatGPT app or desktop version.
The WhatsApp integration is set to expand with future features including image analysis and web search capabilities, though no specific timeline has been announced.
Interestingly, these innovations emerged from a recent hack week project. “The team built this just a few weeks ago, and we loved it,” Weil shared, emphasizing that this is just the beginning of their efforts to increase ChatGPT’s accessibility.
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