Whispers started in October, fueled by data miners dissecting the latest ChatGPT beta. They uncovered hints of a feature many users had quietly wished for: the ability to collaborate within the AI itself. Now, those whispers have become reality – ChatGPT is opening its doors to group conversations.
Imagine effortlessly coordinating holiday plans with family, brainstorming a new project with colleagues, or simply sharing ideas with friends, all within the familiar ChatGPT interface. OpenAI envisions these group chats as a powerful tool for shared decision-making and collaborative creativity, streamlining the often-chaotic process of group planning.
Initiating a group chat is designed to be seamless. A new icon, appearing in the top-right corner of the app and web version, serves as the gateway. Users can then generate a unique invite link and share it with up to 19 other participants.
Thoughtful design ensures privacy and clarity. Inviting others to an existing conversation doesn’t overwrite it; instead, a private copy is preserved, while the group chat unfolds in a dedicated new tab. This keeps individual threads separate and organized.
To foster a sense of community within these groups, ChatGPT will prompt users to create a simple profile upon their first group chat experience. A name, username, and photo will help everyone easily identify who’s contributing to the conversation.
The rollout is beginning in select regions – New Zealand, Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea – marking the first phase of this exciting expansion. Importantly, this feature isn’t restricted to paying subscribers; both free and paid users will have access to the collaborative power of ChatGPT group chats.
