Want To Chat With A Bot But Hate Texting? Now You Can Call 1-800-ChatGPT

OpenAI has yet another new announcement as part of its 12 Days of OpenAI event. For Day 10, the company is debuting the ability for users to simply call or text ChatGPT, using 1-800-CHATGPT (1-800-242-8478). This is part of the company’s effort to make its products as accessible as possible for as many people as possible. While the number is only meant to be directly used by customers in the United States, users in other regions can access it with WhatsApp.

Users who opt to call the phone number will be able to talk with ChatGPT, and it’s an experience that’s very similar to other interactive phone systems. The only difference here is that instead of just getting a menu of options, users will be able to ask questions and get answers from ChatGPT that can potentially feel like a wide-ranging conversation. This is likely a move by the company to serve older users who may be more comfortable interacting with AI this way.


Although most users will probably choose to text this new service. During the demo, the team recommends that users add ChatGPT to their contacts for a more seamless experience. The experience using text is fairly similar to what can be found using the web or the app, as ChatGPT will provide answers as users ask questions. However, users will not be able to choose which model they’re using. The only option available is the 4o-mini model. This will likely limit some of the results users receive, although it’s still pretty good considering it’s a free service.

It's certainly surprising to see OpenAI launch this new phone enabled service, but it makes perfect sense a simple intro for users who might not ever try it. The company likely hopes that it’s a gateway to eventually converting people into paying subscribers. Time will tell just how successful this effort it.