OpenAI is advancing its efforts to evolve ChatGPT into an “everything app” by enabling users to call it on their phones and send messages through WhatsApp.
Beginning today, individuals can engage with ChatGPT via phone calls or WhatsApp messages. By adding 1-800-ChatGPT to your contacts, you can make calls and converse directly with the AI. During a live demonstration, OpenAI illustrated how users could reach out to ChatGPT while traveling, inquiring about landmarks such as the renowned “Flintstone House.”
Although the demonstration was performed on an iPhone, OpenAI indicated that even older devices like flip phones and rotary phones are compatible for calling ChatGPT. The AI will answer and attend to your questions. U.S. users with phone plans are granted 15 minutes of free calling. For further information, OpenAI has made available a [guide](https://help.openai.com/en/articles/10193193-1-800-chatgpt-calling-and-messaging-chatgpt-with-your-phone).
Crucially, OpenAI has reassured that data from voice calls and WhatsApp interactions will not be utilized to train its models.
Even though the ChatGPT phone call feature was not a part of the expected “12 Days of OpenAI” announcements, this initiative reflects OpenAI’s larger objective of embedding its technology into daily life. “The mission of OpenAI is to ensure artificial general intelligence is beneficial to everyone. A significant part of that involves making it accessible to as many people as possible,” stated Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil during the livestream.
In recent days, OpenAI has rolled out several new features for ChatGPT, including **Canvas** for enhancing writing and coding skills, **Projects** for systematically arranging conversations into organized folders, and the complete launch of **ChatGPT Search** as an integrated search engine. While some updates cater to advanced users, others target casual or less tech-savvy audiences, expanding the platform’s accessibility.
Looking forward, OpenAI is anticipated to unveil **agentic tools** that could execute tasks such as web browsing, code writing, and even starting conversations with users. This was suggested by engineer Tibor Blaho and TestingCatalog, who have reportedly come across a feature dubbed “Tasks.” This tool would enable users to automate future actions, like receiving news alerts, akin to Google Alerts.
On WhatsApp, ChatGPT operates similarly to a conventional chatbot, where users can send messages for details, such as a recipe for pesto. Presently, the interaction remains text-based, but OpenAI intends to add image support shortly.
With these enhancements, OpenAI continues to extend the limits of accessibility and usefulness, striving to position ChatGPT as an essential resource in daily life.