ChatGPT Introduces Global Group Chat Feature Across All User Plans

OpenAI has officially rolled out global access to its new group chat functionality, extending availability to users on Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans. The announcement, made on Thursday, comes shortly after a limited pilot launched in select regions such as Japan and New Zealand.

A New Collaborative Space Inside ChatGPT

The update transforms ChatGPT from a one-to-one digital assistant into a shared environment where multiple people can interact with both the AI and each other. According to OpenAI, the new capability “turns ChatGPT from a one-on-one assistant into a space where friends, family, or co-workers can work together to plan, create, and make decisions.”

This shift positions ChatGPT as a tool for multi-user collaboration rather than a purely personal assistant.

Designed for Planning, Brainstorming, and Joint Decision-Making

OpenAI notes that group chats can support a range of practical use cases—from planning travel itineraries and co-writing documents to comparing research options or resolving group debates. Users can rely on ChatGPT to help “search, summarize, and compare options,” streamlining tasks that typically require back-and-forth communication.

Up to 20 participants can be included in a single group chat, provided they accept an invitation. Importantly, all personal profile settings and memory remain private to each user.

Simple Setup and User Controls

To create a group chat, users only need to tap the people icon and invite participants directly or share a link. New participants set up a brief profile, including name, username, and photo, before joining.

A helpful design detail: adding someone to an existing chat automatically spawns a new conversation, ensuring the original thread stays intact.

During discussions, ChatGPT “knows when to jump in and when to stay quiet.” Users can tag “ChatGPT” to prompt a response, and the AI can also react with emojis and reference participants’ profile photos.

Positioning ChatGPT as a Social Platform

This launch continues OpenAI’s long-term strategy to shift ChatGPT from a solitary chatbot to a community-oriented tool. The company emphasized that group chats are only the beginning: “Over time, we see ChatGPT playing a more active role in real group conversations, helping people plan, create, and take action together,” it wrote in an email to TechCrunch.

The feature also aligns with recent product expansions. Less than two weeks earlier, OpenAI introduced GPT-5.1, offering both Instant and Thinking model versions. And in September, it launched Sora, a social app where users generate and share videos on a TikTok-style feed.