Image: © Rokas/Stock.adobe.com
After months of anticipation, ChatGPT for the iPhone is here, with an Android version on its way.
Many have been waiting for an app version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT ever since the popular AI chatbot first took the world by storm. Now, for iPhone users in the US, that wait has ended.
OpenAI officially announced its iOS app for ChatGPT yesterday (18 May), initially restricting it to users in the US. The app is free, without ads and comes with a handy voice input feature (no voice output yet though).
The Silicon Valley company founded by Sam Altman and backed in the billions by Microsoft said the latest app can also sync a user’s chat history from the web version of the chatbot. And just like its web counterpart, ChatGPT Plus subscribers get access to GPT-4 on the app.
Subscribers will also have early access to new features on iOS as well as faster response times.
“Since the release of ChatGPT, we’ve heard from users that they love using ChatGPT on the go,” OpenAI wrote in the announcement. “Today, we’re launching the ChatGPT app for iOS.”
For the voice input feature, which is a novelty introduced only through the app, OpenAI integrated the ChatGPT app with its open-source speech-recognition system Whisper.
While only available in the US for now, OpenAI said the app will be launched in “additional countries in the coming weeks”. The app will also be launched for Android devices soon.
“We’re eager to see how you use the app. As we gather user feedback, we’re committed to continuous feature and safety improvements for ChatGPT,” the company wrote.
“With the ChatGPT app for iOS, we’re taking another step towards our mission by transforming state-of-the-art research into useful tools that empower people, while continuously making them more accessible.”
The news came on the same day as a ban on the AI chatbot was reversed across the public school system in New York by David C Banks, chancellor of the NYC department of education.
“The knee-jerk fear and risk overlooked the potential of generative AI to support students and teachers, as well as the reality that our students are participating in and will work in a world where understanding generative AI is crucial,” Banks said.
10 things you need to know direct to your inbox every weekday. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic’s digest of essential sci-tech news.
