OpenAI Pilots Group Chat Functionality within ChatGPT
OpenAI has initiated a pilot program introducing group chat capabilities within its ChatGPT platform. This feature facilitates collaborative interaction amongst users, enabling shared discussions and decision-making processes within a designated group environment.
To initiate a group chat, users can access the designated “people” icon within a new or existing chat interface. Invited participants, upon accepting the invitation, trigger the creation of a dedicated group chat, maintaining the original conversation’s integrity. Up to twenty individuals can be directly invited via a shared link, which can be further disseminated by group members. Upon joining or creating a group chat, users are prompted to configure a profile, inclusive of a display name, username, and profile picture.
Group chats are accessible via the platform’s sidebar. Members possess the ability to view the participant roster and to independently leave the group at any juncture. Moreover, members, with the exception of the group creator, can remove other participants from the group.
Responses within these group chats are generated by ChatGPT 5.1 Auto. This system dynamically selects the optimal model for responding, contingent upon the prompt and the user’s available models, as dictated by their subscription plan. Rate limits are exclusively applicable to ChatGPT’s responses and do not govern user-to-user communication within the group. Furthermore, responses generated by ChatGPT contribute to the individual user’s designated usage limits.
OpenAI has integrated enhanced conversational capabilities into ChatGPT for group chat environments, allowing the model to adapt to the conversational flow and determine appropriate response times based on contextual understanding. Users can directly invoke ChatGPT’s response functionality by explicitly mentioning “ChatGPT” within a message.
The platform’s enhanced capabilities include the ability to react to messages with emojis and reference profile photos of group members. Users can also define custom instructions to govern ChatGPT’s responses within each specific group chat.
Addressing privacy considerations, OpenAI has confirmed that neither the user’s personal ChatGPT memory nor memories generated within group conversations are leveraged in these interactions. Furthermore, the company is actively exploring more granular control options, enabling users to customize the utilization of memory within group chats. To ensure user safety, exposure to sensitive content will be automatically reduced within group chats that include users under the age of 18.
The group chat functionality is currently undergoing a phased rollout for logged-in users across ChatGPT’s Free, Go, Plus, and Pro tiers, accessible via web and mobile platforms. Initial availability is limited to Japan, Taiwan, New Zealand, and South Korea, with broader regional expansion anticipated based on user feedback.
