OpenAI has unveiled a new feature that lets users call ChatGPT for free, offering a 15-minute call per month through the toll-free number 1-800-CHATGPT.
What Happened: The feature was announced by OpenAI's chief product officer, Kevin Weil, during a livestream on Wednesday as part of the "12 Days of OpenAI" event.
The service is powered by OpenAI's Realtime API and GPT-4o mini through WhatsApp
It is currently available to users in the U.S., while international users can access it via WhatsApp at 1-800-242-8478 - OpenAI has coded "CHATGPT" as 242-8478 on a phone keypad.
Users don't need to have an account, paid or otherwise, to avail the benefits of this service.
Interestingly, this move mirrors Alphabet Inc. Google's
The toll-free service was discontinued in 2010. Google said it was more of a testing ground for the company's broader voice recognition goals.
Why It Matters: The ChatGPT-parent has emerged as a leading player in generative AI, with a valuation of $157 billion and significant investments, such as $14 billion from Microsoft Corporation
As part of its "12 Days of OpenAI" event, the AI startup also extended the ChatGPT Search engine to all users, including those on the free tier.
The Sam Altman-led company also debuted its text-to-image model, Sora, along with a $200 monthly ChatGPT Pro subscription.
OpenAI has also been battling with some legal troubles. Last week, the company countered Elon Musk's legal attempts to block its shift to a fully for-profit model.
