OpenAI is bringing its popular AI assistant, ChatGPT, to landline phones. Starting December 18, 2024, users across the U.S. can now interact with ChatGPT simply by calling 1-800-242-8478. This move makes the AI-powered assistant more accessible, reaching those without smartphones or internet access.
The experience is similar to ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode, a feature that allows users to have real-time conversations with the AI. Users can ask ChatGPT questions or request tasks like language translation, and the assistant will respond over the phone.
OpenAI is making this service free for the first 15 minutes of each call. After that, the call ends, but standard carrier charges may apply.
Kevin Weil, OpenAI’s Chief Product Officer, shared the company’s mission behind this initiative, saying,
“We’re taking the next step and bringing ChatGPT to your telephone. It’s about making AI accessible to as many people as possible.”
Alongside the landline feature, OpenAI has also launched ChatGPT on WhatsApp. This service allows users to text the AI, with a basic back-and-forth exchange. The WhatsApp version doesn’t require an account, but there is a daily usage limit.
Once users hit that limit, they’ll need to download the ChatGPT app or use it on a desktop to continue the conversation.
While this phone and WhatsApp integration is a major step, OpenAI is already looking ahead. The company is working on new features for both platforms, including image analysis and web search, though no timeline has been provided for their release.
Weil:
“This came out of a hack week project. The team built this just a few weeks ago, and we loved it, and they hustled really hard to ship it, and it’s awesome to see it here. We’re just getting started making ChatGPT more accessible to all of you.”
With these updates, OpenAI is making AI more accessible than ever, pushing toward a future where artificial intelligence is available to everyone, everywhere.
