ChatGPT Restored After Outage Disrupts Access for Thousands
ChatGPT, the world’s most popular artificial intelligence (AI) tool, is back online after an unexpected outage prevented users from accessing the platform.
According to Downdetector, a site that tracks website outages, over 10,000 users in the UK reported issues with the AI chatbot, developed by OpenAI, on Thursday. Those attempting to log in were greeted with a message stating, “The web server reported a bad gateway error.”
OpenAI Implements Fix
OpenAI promptly addressed the issue, reporting on its status page that a fix was implemented at 15:09 GMT. The company also noted it was “monitoring the results” to ensure the platform’s stability.
ChatGPT’s Global Impact
Since its launch in November 2022, ChatGPT has revolutionized the AI landscape, garnering massive global attention and spurring significant investment in generative AI tools. According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, by December 2024, the chatbot was reportedly used by over 300 million people weekly.
Free and Paid Versions
While millions rely on the free version of ChatGPT, OpenAI offers premium membership plans, with costs ranging up to $200 per month for advanced features and capabilities.
AI Investment on the Rise
The outage follows recent announcements of substantial investments in AI infrastructure by leading tech firms, including OpenAI. Collectively, these companies have committed to a staggering $500 billion (£405 billion) to bolster AI development in the United States.
As ChatGPT continues to reshape how people interact with technology, the rapid response to this outage reflects the platform’s importance to its global user base.