OpenAI has announced on its Discord server that it may soon introduce a paid pro version of its popular AI-powered chatbot, ChatGPT.
According to the announcement, the pro version of ChatGPT will be faster and more reliable.
The benefits of ChatGPT Professional are said to include the following:
- No blackout periods
- Faster responses to prompts
- At least 2X the regular daily limit of messages
Monetizing ChatGPT with a pro version is a way for OpenAI to generate revenue to support its ongoing development and upkeep.
However, it’s worth noting that this announcement is not an official confirmation of ChatGPT Professional. Further details, including pricing, are yet to be revealed.
Here’s all the information shared by OpenAI on Discord.
OpenAI Announces Possible Monetization Of ChatGPT
OpenAI announces that it’s thinking about ways to monetize ChatGPT.
Though no official plans are in the works, one option OpenAI is considering is a version of ChatGPT geared toward professionals.
The announcement reads:
“We’re starting to think about how to monetize ChatGPT (early thinking, nothing official to share yet). Our goal is to continue improving and maintaining the service, and monetization is one way we’re considering to ensure its long-term viability. We’re interested in chatting with some folks for ~15 min to get some early feedback. If you’re interested in chatting, please fill out this form (takes ~10 min to fill out).”
OpenAI’s announcement links to a waitlist where you can sign up for a pilot version of ChatGPT Professional.
If interested, you must fill out a form asking questions such as how you use ChatGPT and how much you would be willing to pay.
The form says those who are selected for the pilot will be notified individually:
“If you are selected, we’ll reach out to you to set up a payment process and a pilot. Please keep in mind that this is an early experimental program that is subject to change, and we are not making paid pro access generally available at this time.”
Though the waitlist is available to everyone, only select folks will get in.
Will Regular ChatGPT Remain Free?
Regardless of whether OpenAI goes ahead with ChatGPT Professional, the company makes no promises that it will always have a free version.
The version of ChatGPT available today is a free research preview.
In other words, we’re all beta testers for what will inevitably become a paid product.
OpenAI Founder Sam Altman says he has to monetize ChatGPT due to computing costs:
we will have to monetize it somehow at some point; the compute costs are eye-watering
— Sam Altman (@sama) December 5, 2022
Investor funding allows OpenAI to afford the cost of running ChatGPT, but those investors expect a return.
With powerful corporate backers like Microsoft, there’s significant pressure on OpenAI to turn a profit.
As Microsoft plans to invest an additional $10 billion, the conversation about making money from ChatGPT may soon increase.
We’ll continue to monitor the discussion around ChatGPT Professional on Discord and keep you updated with new details as they emerge.
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