What to know

  • ChatGPT beta on Android is getting direct messages and group chat features.
  • Users can customize assistant replies and collaborate in shared chat rooms.
  • This builds toward OpenAI's vision of ChatGPT as an "everything app."
  • Privacy concerns linger as new social elements roll out.

OpenAI is experimenting with turning ChatGPT into a full social app. In the Android beta, users can now send DMs and create group chats called "Calpico Rooms," where people and the AI can brainstorm and chat together. The assistant is more flexible too — users can tweak its response style and personality, rename it, and block others.

This shift aligns with OpenAI's broader move to make ChatGPT a multi-functional hub, integrating apps like Spotify, Canva, and Zillow right into chats. They've also launched an Apps SDK so developers can build custom AI-powered chat apps inside ChatGPT.

While these additions could change how we interact with AI and each other, privacy remains a concern, especially since earlier tests involving public chat excerpts were pulled back after user complaints.

The discovery was made by Tibor Blaho, a tech sleuth who frequently shares info about unreleased AI features.

The rollout marks a notable step toward blending AI assistance with social networking, potentially redefining how we use AI in daily digital life.