Photo: zelenagazeta
OpenAI has announced a new group chat feature for ChatGPT. The option, currently being tested in select regions — including Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan — allows users to collaborate directly within the app.
The group chat feature is available to both free and paid users (Plus and Team) on mobile and web platforms. OpenAI says this pilot program is intended to explore how people use group conversations inside ChatGPT.
The announcement follows earlier reports that the company was testing a tool similar to a direct-messaging system. OpenAI calls this pilot “a small first step” toward creating a more collaborative experience within the app. Early testers will be asked to provide feedback, which will help shape the feature’s future development and expand its availability to more regions and users.
According to OpenAI, private chats and personal data remain fully confidential. Group chats work strictly through invitations, and any participant can leave at any time. Most members can remove other participants, while the group creator can leave only voluntarily. For users under 18, additional content filters, safety measures, and parental controls are in place.
To create a group chat:
Tap the people icon.
Add participants directly or send an invite link.
Each group can include 1 to 20 people.
If you add a new participant to an existing one-on-one chat, a new group is created while the original conversation remains unchanged. Every group has a brief profile, and all chats are listed in a sidebar with clear labels for easy navigation.
Functionally, group chats work like standard ChatGPT conversations, but with multiple participants. Responses are powered by the GPT-5.1 Auto model, which supports:
– information retrieval
– image generation
– file uploads
– voice input
ChatGPT’s usage limits — the cap on AI responses per hour — apply only when the AI responds. Messages exchanged between users do not count toward these limits.
OpenAI says ChatGPT has improved its ability to operate in group settings and now better understands when to participate and when to stay out of the discussion. To get a response, users simply tag @ChatGPT. The bot can also react with emojis and generate personalized images for the conversation based on participants’ profile photos.
This new group chat feature marks another step in OpenAI’s gradual shift from a standalone AI assistant toward a more socially oriented platform. In late September, the company introduced Sora 2, a separate social app with a TikTok-style feed where users can share AI-generated videos. The platform includes algorithmic recommendations based on user activity and location, parental controls, and built-in messaging tools.
