ChatGPT rolls out global group chat support

OpenAI is releasing group chat functions for its large language model (LLM) ChatGPT in phases, expanding access only a week after piloting the feature in select Asian and Pacific markets. 

The ChatGPT developer announced the global launch on Thursday in a post on its official blog, confirming that users on Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans can now collaborate inside shared conversations on both mobile and web.

“Group chats are starting to roll out on mobile and web for logged-in ChatGPT users on ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans in Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan,” OpenAI wrote on its blog page, promising the feature will reach all logged-in users “over the coming days.”

Group Chat takes ChatGPT beyond one-on-one use cases

Per OpenAI’s featured announcement, the new tool allows up to twenty participants to exchange messages in the same thread with ChatGPT available to help, analyze or respond when needed. 

Group chats are meant for activities like planning trips, co-authoring documents, guiding research sessions, or comparing decisions between friends or co-workers. 

ChatGPT can summarize long exchanges, surface information, assemble options, or answer direct questions. However, users must tag the model when they want it to respond, which OpenAI says helps prevent interruptions in heated discussions.

The system also allows the AI model to react to individual comments using emojis or reference a user’s profile photo to make the assistant feel “more natural” inside conversations.

To start or join a group chat, there’s a people-shaped icon that appears at the top of every new or existing chat window. Tapping the icon creates a new shared thread or converts a previous solo conversation into a group version. 

“When you join or create your first group chat, you’ll be asked to set up a short profile with your name, username, and photo so everyone knows who’s in the conversation,” OpenAI explained.

If users add someone to an existing chat, ChatGPT generates a duplicate as a group chat so the original one-on-one exchange is unchanged. Invites can be shared through a link, and the same link can be forwarded to others. Group members can remove others, but the creator cannot be removed by anyone else and can only exit the conversation voluntarily.

OpenAI insisted that group chats are independent from users’ private threads with ChatGPT, and the assistant does not pull information from personal memory during group discussions or generate new memories from those exchanges.

Still, the company said it could add control settings that would allow users to decide if memory features can be selectively enabled in group chat threads. 

Moreover, OpenAI said If a minor joins a group chat, the system reduces exposure to sensitive content for the entire group. Parents or guardians can disable group chat access entirely through parental controls to make ChatGPT group chats safer for younger audiences.

OpenAI’s 2025 second half: GPT 5.1 and Sora

Just less than two weeks ago, the AI and tech company debuted its latest model line GPT-5.1. According to Cryptopolitan’s feature, GPT-5.1 includes “Instant” and “Thinking” versions to respond in fewer times compared to its predecessor, with deeper reasoning when required. 

In late September, OpenAI launched Sora, the social-style mobile app that generates short videos by typing short prompts. The clips can be posted directly to social platforms, and the app’s interface draws comparisons to TikTok’s algorithmic feed.

Sora has generated a lot of positive public interest, but it has been blasted due to the ease with which users can recreate copyrighted material or depict deceased celebrities. 

Several Sora users have  produced videos featuring popular figures, including OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman himself in a field beside Pokémon characters saying: “I hope Nintendo doesn’t sue us.” Another video depicted a fictional Ronald McDonald being chased by police in a burger-shaped vehicle.

CNBC reporters said they were able to generate characters like Pikachu, Patrick Star from “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and several logos, including Starbucks and The Simpsons’ iconography. 

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