ChatGPT has landed on WhatsAppmaking OpenAI’s AI-powered chatbot also accessible in Meta’s popular instant messaging app. To use it, simply add a phone number to your contacts and start a conversation to get answers to your questions. This new feature, already available in Italy toorepresents a simple and immediate way to approach AI, especially for all those who are not familiar with new technologies. For OpenAI, however, the availability of ChatGPT on WhatsApp represents a strategic move to counter its competitors, such as Microsoft Copilot, which has already been available on WhatsApp for some time.
It must be said, however, that using the service via WhatsApp you have to deal with some limitations (not present in the other versions of OpenAI’s AI chatbot). In this case, on WhatsApp ChatGPT can only respond to text messages, does not support web search and its knowledge stops in October 2023.
How to activate and add ChatGPT on WhatsApp
If you want use ChatGPT on WhatsAppyou must first save the number 1-800-242-8478 in the address book of your Android smartphone or your iPhone. You can give the contact a name of your choice, such as “ChatGPT”, so as to recognize it more easily. Subsequently, open WhatsApp and start a chat in the usual way, selecting the contact you saved earlier. This way, you can chat directly with OpenAI’s artificial intelligence.
To facilitate access, OpenAI has made it possible to start a conversation by clicking on this link (and then agreeing to open WhatsApp on the device in use) or by scanning the following QR code (once scanned just press the button Continue and go to the chat to start querying the chatbot).
This can all be done without necessarily having to create an OpenAI account and the service is 100% free. It must be said, however, that its use is not unlimited and can be limited based on the number of requests that occur at a given moment.
Always remaining on the topic of limitsat the time we are writing this article, ChatGPT on WhatsApp cannot be used in group chats, does not support advanced features such as generating images, analyzing photos or personalizing responses. Furthermore, as already specified in the introduction of the article, the chatbot is unable to update its knowledge beyond October 2023. This means that any questions about events, data or developments after this date will not be answered. It is also worth keeping in mind that, for security reasons, OpenAI temporarily stores transcripts of conversations and messages, monitoring the service to prevent abuse and guarantee authenticity.
Users in the USA and Canada can also interact vocally
For those who reside in the United States or in Canada there is also the possibility of interact vocally with ChatGPT calling the number 1-800-242-8478 for a maximum of 15 minutes per month. This function, at least at the moment, is not available in Italy.
