OpenAI, has officially released its highly anticipated ChatGPT app for iOS devices on Apple’s App Store in the United States marking a significant milestone in OpenAI’s mission to provide accessible and user-friendly AI tools to the general public.
The ChatGPT app allows users to engage in natural language conversations with an AI-powered chatbot. It offers a range of functionalities, including answering questions, providing information, and generating creative ideas.
While the free version of the app is built on the GPT-3.5 model, OpenAI also offers an enhanced version called ChatGPT Plus, powered by the more advanced GPT-4 persona.
To access the additional capabilities of ChatGPT Plus, users can subscribe for $20 per month, unlocking a more capable and versatile virtual assistant.
The launch of the ChatGPT app for iOS builds upon the success of its web-based predecessor, which garnered millions of users since its release in 2022.
The app’s expansion to iOS devices further solidifies OpenAI’s position in the conversational AI market and reinforces its commitment to refining and improving its AI models based on user feedback.
In terms of features, the OpenAI app closely resembles the ChatGPT website. However, it offers some additional functionalities such as voice input through OpenAI’s Whisper speech recognition.
For ChatGPT Plus subscribers, there is an option to switch between standard and GPT-4 language models and also supports conversation history. Additionally, users have the ability to export data, as well as delete or rename conversations.
Based on observations so far, there is little evidence to suggest that the ChatGPT app listens to you more attentively than any other app on your phone.
One helpful aspect is that you have to manually initiate and stop voice recordings for transcription ensuring that only the intended content is converted into text.
However, it’s worth noting that OpenAI’s speech recognition feature requires an internet connection implying that your voice recordings are likely being sent to a server for processing. (OpenAI has not responded immediately to a comment request regarding this matter.)
While this is not necessarily a dealbreaker, as many older smart speakers operated in a similar manner, it may not sit well with everyone.
Despite the considerable attention it has garnered since its launch, using ChatGPT on your iPhone doesn’t feel significantly different from using it within a web browser.
Unless you have a strong interest in experimenting with the speech-to-text feature, there isn’t a substantial advantage to using the app instead of chatting on OpenAI’s website.
While OpenAI has stated in the past that it does not utilise chatbot interactions for profiling users or advertising purposes, it does retain the messages you send it to further train its language models. In other words, it is crucial not to disclose any sensitive or highly personal information while using ChatGP.
ChatGPT’s App Store – May Not Be Welcomed With Enthusiasm By Entrepreneurs
The introduction of ChatGPT on the App Store may not be met with enthusiasm by entrepreneurs who cleverly launched their own chatbot apps in recent months. However, the availability of ChatGPT on mobile devices could potentially help combat scammers.
Just recently, security firm Sophos issued a warning about ChatGPT scams appearing on the Google Play and Apple App Stores. Unaware consumers are enticed into downloading supposedly “free” apps that claim to provide access to OpenAI’s ChatGPT, only to later discover they have been charged subscription fees for fraudulent apps.
Meanwhile, Android users have the option to utilise the ChatGPT chatbot through the Bing app. Bing recently introduced a Bing Chat widget, which can be added to the home screen of mobile devices.
With the official ChatGPT app being released, it will be the second app that offers convenient access to the service on mobile devices, coming ahead of Google’s upcoming Bard widget for Android.
The launch of the ChatGPT app marks a significant milestone for OpenAI. The service has gained immense popularity and has been at the forefront of the recent AI revolution. Undoubtedly, the official app will become a sought-after tool for creative writing, research, and entertainment.
