OpenAI Begins Group Chat Pilot for ChatGPT in Select Asian Markets
Key Points
- OpenAI launches a group chat pilot for ChatGPT in Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan.
- Feature available to Free, Plus and Team users on mobile and web.
- Groups can include 1 to 20 participants and are created via an invitation or link.
- Private chats and personal memory remain fully private; group chats are invitation‑only.
- Usage limits apply only to AI‑generated responses, not human messages.
- Safety filters and parental controls protect users under 18.
- Pilot will collect user feedback to guide future expansion.
OpenAI has launched a pilot of a group chat feature for ChatGPT, currently being tested in Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan. The feature is available to Free, Plus and Team users on both mobile and web platforms, allowing groups of one to twenty participants to collaborate within the app. Privacy safeguards keep personal chats and memory private, while group chats are invitation‑only and can be left at any time. The pilot will collect user feedback to shape future expansion and functionality.
OpenAI Introduces Group Chat Pilot
OpenAI announced the rollout of a new group chat capability for its ChatGPT product. The pilot is being conducted in four regions: Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan. The rollout is limited to users who are subscribed to the Free, Plus or Team plans, and it works on both mobile devices and the web interface.
How the Feature Works
Participants can start a group chat by tapping the people icon and adding members directly or by sharing a link. Groups may include anywhere from one to twenty people. When a user adds someone to an existing conversation, a new group is created, leaving the original chat unchanged. Each group has a short profile and appears in a labeled sidebar for easy navigation.
Privacy and Control
OpenAI emphasizes that private chats and personal ChatGPT memory remain completely private. Group chats are invitation‑only; members can leave a group at any time, and the group creator can also exit voluntarily. Most participants have the ability to remove others from the conversation, though the creator’s removal powers are limited.
Usage Limits and Interaction
In group chats, the usage limits that restrict the number of AI responses a user can receive per hour only apply when ChatGPT itself responds. Human‑to‑human messages do not count toward these limits. The feature supports the same tools found in regular ChatGPT conversations, including search, image generation, file uploads and dictation.
Safety Measures for Younger Users
Content for users under eighteen is filtered, and additional safeguards and parental controls are in place to protect younger participants.
Feedback‑Driven Development
The pilot is described as a “small first step” toward a more shared experience within the app. Early participants will be invited to provide feedback, which OpenAI says will inform how the feature expands to additional regions and offerings. The company frames the group chat as part of its gradual transformation of ChatGPT from a simple AI assistant into a more social platform.