OpenAI launched an official iOS app for ChatGPT today. This new version promises users a free, ad-free, mobile conversational AI experience. The announcement follows the proliferation of questionable, unauthorized versions on Apple’s App Store.
The launch of ChatGPT’s iOS app is expected to provide an alternative to Apple’s voice assistant, Siri. Besides, the move could also potentially impact Google, as it currently benefits from being Safari’s default search engine on iPhones.
What to Expect
OpenAI says that the ChatGPT iOS app will offer seamless device synchronization. This will help ensure users can access their history from multiple devices. In addition, it is expected to include integrations with Whisper, OpenAI’s speech recognition system, enabling voice inputs.
For ChatGPT Plus subscribers, who pay $20 per month for enhanced features, the iOS app will provide access to the advanced capabilities of GPT-4.
The company’s announcement assures subscribers of priority access to new features and improved response times.
While the rollout commences in the U.S., the company aims to expand its reach to other countries in the coming weeks. OpenAI has also teased the arrival of an Android version.
This new move of OpenAI is, however, not unprecedented. Rumors were there that the tech startup had been working on a mobile application. The company rejected the claim, though.
Experts believe that the launch comes at a crucial moment. Presently tech behemoths like Google, Microsoft, and Facebook are actively exploring AI. In fact, Google and Microsoft are integrating AI into their search engines, with Microsoft partnering with OpenAI in a costly arrangement.
The Ad-Free User Experience
A significant feature that might give OpenAI’s mobile app an edge over competing search apps is its commitment to an ad-free user experience. The company emphasizes that users can get immediate answers “without sifting through ads or multiple results.” This attribute subtly distances itself from partners like Bing, who have integrated ads into their AI chat services.
Furthermore, ChatGPT allows the synchronization of user history.
This also ensures added convenience, as users can refer to the previous chats whenever required. This feature also keeps the AI app ahead in the race.
The announcement is soon after Google eliminates the waitlist for its own AI chatbot, Bard. In its recent Google I/O developer conference, the tech giant declared that Bard would soon be available in English.
According to a prominent provider of app store intelligence, the top 10 mobile AI apps generated over $14 million in consumer spending by the end of March this year. It indicates an 11% increase from February.
GPT’s new launch will likely be a part of this steep ride of popularity and revenue. According to OpenAI, the organization is committed to making AI accessible and efficient.
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Krishi Chowdhary
Journalist
