ChatGPT: Everything You Need to Know About the AI-Powered Chatbot (2025)

ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has revolutionized the tech landscape since its launch in November 2022. Initially a tool to boost productivity by generating essays and code from short text prompts, it has grown into a juggernaut with 300 million weekly active users. This article provides a comprehensive overview of ChatGPT, covering its evolution, key updates, and future prospects.

2024 was a landmark year for OpenAI. Significant milestones included a partnership with Apple for its generative AI offering, Apple Intelligence, the release of GPT-4o with voice capabilities, and the highly anticipated launch of its text-to-video model, Sora. These advancements underscore OpenAI’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of AI technology.

However, OpenAI also faced internal challenges, including the departures of key executives like co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever and CTO Mira Murati. Additionally, the company has been embroiled in legal battles, including lawsuits from Alden Global Capital-owned newspapers alleging copyright infringement and an injunction from Elon Musk to halt OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit model.

In 2025, OpenAI is navigating the perception that it’s losing ground in the AI race to Chinese rivals like DeepSeek. The company is actively working to strengthen its relationship with Washington while simultaneously pursuing an ambitious data center project and reportedly preparing for a massive funding round.

Here’s a detailed timeline of ChatGPT product updates and releases, updated throughout the year:

June 2025

Sam Altman noted that the energy needed for an average ChatGPT query can power a lightbulb for a few minutes and requires 0.34 watt-hours of electricity to operate. OpenAI launched o3-pro, an upgraded version of its o3 AI reasoning model available for ChatGPT and Team users and in the API. OpenAI also upgraded ChatGPT’s conversational voice mode for paid users, enabling more natural and fluid conversations. ChatGPT added new features for business users, including meeting recording and connectors for Google Drive, Box, and more.

May 2025

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar highlighted that hardware will drive ChatGPT’s growth, following plans to purchase Jony Ive’s devices startup io for $6.4 billion. OpenAI unveiled its AI coding agent, Codex, powered by codex-1, a version of its o3 AI reasoning model designed for software engineering tasks. CEO Sam Altman expressed his aim to make ChatGPT more personalized by tracking every aspect of a person’s life. OpenAI released its GPT-4.1 and GPT-4.1 mini AI models in ChatGPT. ChatGPT deep research now connects with GitHub (in beta) to answer code-related questions. OpenAI launched a new data residency program in Asia and plans to introduce a program to grow AI infrastructure. OpenAI also promised to make changes to prevent future ChatGPT sycophancy.

April 2025

OpenAI clarified the reason ChatGPT became overly flattering and agreeable and is working to fix a “bug” that let minors engage in inappropriate conversations. ChatGPT helps users by giving recommendations, showing images, and reviewing products for online shopping. OpenAI leaders are talking about allowing the open model to link up with OpenAI’s cloud-hosted models for assistance and aims to make its new “open” AI model the best on the market. However, OpenAI’s GPT-4.1 may be less aligned than earlier models, and its o3 AI model scored lower than expected on a benchmark. OpenAI unveiled Flex processing for cheaper, slower AI tasks and its latest AI models now have a safeguard against biorisks. OpenAI launched its latest reasoning models, o3 and o4-mini and has added a new section to ChatGPT to offer easier access to AI-generated images for all user tiers. OpenAI could “adjust” its safeguards if rivals release “high-risk” AI and is building its own social media network. OpenAI will remove its largest AI model, GPT-4.5, from the API, in July and unveiled GPT-4.1 AI models that focus on coding capabilities. OpenAI will discontinue ChatGPT’s GPT-4 at the end of April and could release GPT-4.1 soon. OpenAI has updated ChatGPT to use information from your previous conversations and is working on watermarks for images made with ChatGPT. OpenAI offers ChatGPT Plus for free to U.S., Canadian college students, and ChatGPT users have generated over 700M images so far. Finally, OpenAI’s o3 model could cost more to run than the initial estimate, and the CEO says capacity issues will cause product delays.

March 2025

OpenAI plans to release a new ‘open’ AI language model and removes ChatGPT’s restrictions on image generation. OpenAI adopts Anthropic’s standard for linking AI models with data and its viral Studio Ghibli-style images could raise AI copyright concerns. OpenAI expects revenue to triple to $12.7 billion this year and ChatGPT has upgraded its image-generation feature. OpenAI also announces leadership updates and its AI voice assistant now has an advanced feature. OpenAI and Meta are in talks with Reliance in India, however, OpenAI faces a privacy complaint in Europe for chatbot’s defamatory hallucinations. OpenAI upgrades its transcription and voice-generating AI models and has launched o1-pro, a more powerful version of its o1. Its research lead, Noam Brown, thinks AI “reasoning” models could’ve arrived decades ago and OpenAI says it has trained an AI that’s “really good” at creative writing. OpenAI launches new tools to help businesses build AI agents and reportedly plans to charge up to $20,000 a month for specialized AI ‘agents’. Lastly, ChatGPT can directly edit your code, and its weekly active users doubled in less than 6 months, thanks to new releases.

February 2025

OpenAI cancels its o3 AI model in favor of a ‘unified’ next-gen release and ChatGPT may not be as power-hungry as once assumed. OpenAI now reveals more of its o3-mini model’s thought process and you can now use ChatGPT web search without logging in. Finally, OpenAI unveils a new ChatGPT agent for ‘deep research’.

January 2025

OpenAI used a subreddit to test AI persuasion and launches o3-mini, its latest ‘reasoning’ model. ChatGPT’s mobile users are 85% male, report says and OpenAI launches ChatGPT plan for US government agencies. More teens report using ChatGPT for schoolwork, despite the tech’s faults. OpenAI says it may store deleted Operator data for up to 90 days and launches Operator, an AI agent that performs tasks autonomously. OpenAI may preview its agent tool for users on the $200-per-month Pro plan. OpenAI tests phone number-only ChatGPT signups and ChatGPT now lets you schedule reminders and recurring tasks. Lastly, a new ChatGPT feature lets users assign it traits like ‘chatty’ and ‘Gen Z’.

FAQs:

What is ChatGPT? How does it work?

ChatGPT is a general-purpose chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to generate text after a user enters a prompt, developed by tech startup OpenAI. The chatbot uses GPT-4, a large language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text.

When did ChatGPT get released?

November 30, 2022 is when ChatGPT was released for public use.

What is the latest version of ChatGPT?

Both the free version of ChatGPT and the paid ChatGPT Plus are regularly updated with new GPT models. The most recent model is GPT-4o.

Can I use ChatGPT for free?

There is a free version of ChatGPT that only requires a sign-in in addition to the paid version, ChatGPT Plus.

Who uses ChatGPT?

Anyone can use ChatGPT! More and more tech companies and search engines are utilizing the chatbot to automate text or quickly answer user questions/concerns.

What companies use ChatGPT?

Multiple enterprises utilize ChatGPT, although others may limit the use of the AI-powered tool. Most recently, Microsoft announced at its 2023 Build conference that it is integrating its ChatGPT-based Bing experience into Windows 11. A Brooklyn-based 3D display startup Looking Glass utilizes ChatGPT to produce holograms you can communicate with by using ChatGPT. And nonprofit organization Solana officially integrated the chatbot into its network with a ChatGPT plug-in geared toward end users to help onboard into the web3 space.

What does GPT mean in ChatGPT?

GPT stands for Generative Pre-Trained Transformer.

What is the difference between ChatGPT and a chatbot?

A chatbot can be any software/system that holds dialogue with you/a person but doesn’t necessarily have to be AI-powered. For example, there are chatbots that are rules-based in the sense that they’ll give canned responses to questions.

ChatGPT is AI-powered and utilizes LLM technology to generate text after a prompt.

Can ChatGPT write essays?

Yes.

Can ChatGPT commit libel?

Due to the nature of how these models work, they don’t know or care whether something is true, only that it looks true. That’s a problem when you’re using it to do your homework, sure, but when it accuses you of a crime you didn’t commit, that may well at this point be libel. We will see how handling troubling statements produced by ChatGPT will play out over the next few months as tech and legal experts attempt to tackle the fastest moving target in the industry.

Does ChatGPT have an app?

Yes, there is a free ChatGPT mobile app for iOS and Android users.

What is the ChatGPT character limit?

It’s not documented anywhere that ChatGPT has a character limit. However, users have noted that there are some character limitations after around 500 words.

Does ChatGPT have an API?

Yes, it was released March 1, 2023.

What are some sample everyday uses for ChatGPT?

Everyday examples include programming, scripts, email replies, listicles, blog ideas, summarization, etc.

What are some advanced uses for ChatGPT?

Advanced use examples include debugging code, programming languages, scientific concepts, complex problem solving, etc.

How good is ChatGPT at writing code?

It depends on the nature of the program. While ChatGPT can write workable Python code, it can’t necessarily program an entire app’s worth of code. That’s because ChatGPT lacks context awareness — in other words, the generated code isn’t always appropriate for the specific context in which it’s being used.

Can you save a ChatGPT chat?

Yes. OpenAI allows users to save chats in the ChatGPT interface, stored in the sidebar of the screen. There are no built-in sharing features yet.

Are there alternatives to ChatGPT?

Yes. There are multiple AI-powered chatbot competitors such as Together, Google’s Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude, and developers are creating open source alternatives.

How does ChatGPT handle data privacy?

OpenAI has said that individuals in “certain jurisdictions” (such as the EU) can object to the processing of their personal information by its AI models by filling out this form. This includes the ability to make requests for deletion of AI-generated references about you. Although OpenAI notes it may not grant every request since it must balance privacy requests against freedom of expression “in accordance with applicable laws”.

What controversies have surrounded ChatGPT?

Recently, Discord announced that it had integrated OpenAI’s technology into its bot named Clyde where two users tricked Clyde into providing them with instructions for making the illegal drug methamphetamine (meth) and the incendiary mixture napalm.

An Australian mayor has publicly announced he may sue OpenAI for defamation due to ChatGPT’s false claims that he had served time in prison for bribery. This would be the first defamation lawsuit against the text-generating service.

CNET found itself in the midst of controversy after Futurism reported the publication was publishing articles under a mysterious byline completely generated by AI. The private equity company that owns CNET, Red Ventures, was accused of using ChatGPT for SEO farming, even if the information was incorrect.

Several major school systems and colleges, including New York City Public Schools, have banned ChatGPT from their networks and devices. They claim that the AI impedes the learning process by promoting plagiarism and misinformation, a claim that not every educator agrees with.

There have also been cases of ChatGPT accusing individuals of false crimes.

Where can I find examples of ChatGPT prompts?

Several marketplaces host and provide ChatGPT prompts, either for free or for a nominal fee. One is PromptBase. Another is ChatX. More launch every day.

Can ChatGPT be detected?

Poorly. Several tools claim to detect ChatGPT-generated text, but in our tests, they’re inconsistent at best.

Are ChatGPT chats public?

No. But OpenAI recently disclosed a bug, since fixed, that exposed the titles of some users’ conversations to other people on the service.

What lawsuits are there surrounding ChatGPT?

None specifically targeting ChatGPT. But OpenAI is involved in at least one lawsuit that has implications for AI systems trained on publicly available data, which would touch on ChatGPT.

Are there issues regarding plagiarism with ChatGPT?

Yes. Text-generating AI models like ChatGPT have a tendency to regurgitate content from their training data.

This story is continually updated with new information.