ChatGPT: Everything you need to know about the AI chatbot
ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has made a significant impact since its launch in November 2022. Initially designed to enhance productivity by assisting with tasks like writing essays and code through short text prompts, ChatGPT now boasts an impressive 300 million weekly active users.
OpenAI’s Milestones in 2024
In 2024, OpenAI achieved several milestones, including a partnership with Apple for its Apple Intelligence platform and the introduction of GPT-4o, which includes voice capabilities. The launch of Sora, a text-to-video model, was also highly anticipated. However, the year was not without challenges, as notable executives like Ilya Sutskever and CTO Mira Murati departed, and legal issues arose, including lawsuits and injunctions.

OpenAI's Progress and Challenges in 2025
As of 2025, OpenAI faces the perception of losing ground in the AI race to Chinese competitors. The company is focusing on strengthening its relationships, pursuing ambitious projects, and preparing for substantial funding rounds to address these challenges.
Product Updates and Releases
OpenAI continuously updates and releases new features for ChatGPT. The company recently launched a new model focused on creative writing. Additionally, OpenAI introduced tools to help businesses develop AI agents for various tasks, such as web searches and data navigation. The company plans to discontinue its Assistants API in 2026 in favor of the Responses API.

Future Plans and Innovations
OpenAI intends to release specialized AI agent products tailored for different applications, with pricing ranging from $2,000 to $20,000 per month. These tools aim to meet the demands of various industries and research fields. Furthermore, the latest version of the macOS ChatGPT app now supports direct code editing for subscribers.
Growth and Expansion
Despite challenges, ChatGPT's user base has been steadily growing, reaching milestones of 300 million users in December 2024 and 400 million users by February 2025. This growth can be attributed to the introduction of new models and features, such as GPT-4o with multimodal capabilities. OpenAI's decision to integrate technologies into GPT-5 has reshaped its product roadmap.

Energy Efficiency Concerns
It's worth noting that ChatGPT's energy consumption has raised concerns, with estimates suggesting it requires significant power to function. OpenAI is continuously exploring ways to address these energy efficiency challenges while maintaining the chatbot's functionality.