ChatGPT Global Outage Affects Thousands of Users globally
On 6/4/2024, popular AI chatbot ChatGPT experienced a global outage, affecting thousands of users worldwide. According to outage tracking website Downdetector, reports of problems accessing ChatGPT spiked around 1:00 PM.
Downdetector data revealed the nature of the reported problems:
- 81%: Users faced issues accessing ChatGPT directly.
- 14%: Users encountered problems accessing the OpenAI website.
- 5%: Users reported difficulties using the ChatGPT app.
OpenAI confirmed the issue on a support page, stating "ChatGPT is unavailable for some users." They followed this up with updates throughout the outage:
1:32 AM PDT (around 2:00 PM India Time): OpenAI identified the problem and began mitigation efforts.
Later Update: OpenAI confirmed they were continuing to work on a permanent fix.
The outage sparked discussions on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, with users checking if others were experiencing the same issue and expressing their frustrations.
Here's a glimpse into some user reactions:
- One user jokingly questioned the future without ChatGPT, tweeting "#ChatGPT is down. What if it never comes back and we have to use our own brains to write stuff again?"
- Another user shared their technical difficulties, stating "ChatGPT is not responding, neither on computer nor on the phone."
- Frustration was evident in a user's question on X: "How am I supposed to get any work done with ChatGPT being down!?"
- Sarcasm emerged from another user who commented, "I'm asking ChatGPT why it's not working but I'm not getting an answer! I might have to ask a human being."
- A final user playfully stated their stance, writing on X, "ChatGPT is down, I'm not doing any actual thinking, I refuse. I'll just sit here until it becomes available again."
The outage has significantly impacted users who rely on ChatGPT for their daily tasks. A frustrated user questioned, "How am I supposed to get any work done with ChatGPT being down!?" In a sarcastic tone, another commented, “I'm asking ChatGPT why it's not working but I'm not getting an answer! I might have to ask a human being." Yet another user humorously refused to engage in any thinking, writing, “Chat GPT is down, I'm not doing any actual thinking, I refuse. I'll just sit here until it becomes available again."
The widespread outage of ChatGPT has caused significant disruption for its global user base. OpenAI is actively working on resolving the issue and has provided several updates indicating their progress. Meanwhile, users continue to express their frustrations and humorous takes on social media, highlighting the extent to which ChatGPT has become integrated into their daily routines.
