OpenAI Launches Group Chats In ChatGPT To Enhance Collaboration And Privacy For Users

OpenAI has introduced group chats in ChatGPT, enabling users to collaborate with family, friends, or colleagues in a shared space. This feature allows for discussions and decision-making within a group setting. To initiate a group chat, users can tap the people icon in the top-right corner of a chat and invite others. Once accepted, a new group chat is created to keep the original conversation separate.

Group Chat Features and Setup

Users can invite up to 20 people by sharing a link, which anyone in the group can use to bring more participants. Upon joining or creating a group chat, members are prompted to set up a profile with their name, username, and photo. The sidebar provides access to the group chat where members can view participants or exit at any time. Members also have the ability to remove others from the chat, except for the creator.

ChatGPT 5.1 Auto powers responses in these group chats. It selects the most suitable model based on prompts and available models for each user’s plan. Rate limits apply only when ChatGPT responds, not during user interactions within the group. Additionally, ChatGPT's responses count towards the limit of the person it is responding to.

Enhanced Social Behaviours and Privacy

OpenAI has equipped ChatGPT with new social behaviours tailored for group chats. The bot now follows conversations closely and decides when to respond or remain silent based on context. Users can prompt it by mentioning "ChatGPT" if they want an immediate response. The bot can also reply using emojis and reference profile photos of members.

Custom instructions can be set for how ChatGPT responds within each group chat. OpenAI assures users that personal ChatGPT memory is not used in these chats, nor does it create memories from them. The company is exploring more detailed controls so users can decide if and how memory is used with group chats.

Rollout and Regional Availability

The rollout of this feature is currently available on web and mobile platforms for logged-in users across different plans: Free, Go, Plus, and Pro in Japan, Taiwan, New Zealand, and South Korea. Based on initial feedback from users in these regions, OpenAI plans to expand availability further.

If anyone under 18 participates in these chats, ChatGPT automatically reduces exposure to sensitive content for all members involved. This ensures a safer environment for younger users while maintaining privacy standards. This new feature by OpenAI aims to enhance collaborative experiences while ensuring privacy and safety measures are upheld across various regions as it continues its rollout.