ChatGPT, short for Chat Generative Pre - trained Transformer, is a chatbot model launched by OpenAI on November 30, 2022. Built upon GPT - 3.5 and GPT - 4 large models, it interacts with users in a conversational manner.

Capable of generating long - text responses to various questions, it can handle tasks like code output, text translation, and essay writing. In 2024, it added new features. For instance, in May, the GPT - 4o multi - modal model was released, allowing free users to conduct data and image analysis, and web searches. By the end of 2024, it had 15.5 million paid subscribers. In 2025, more upgrades came, such as opening the search function to all users in February.

Since its debut, ChatGPT has attracted extensive attention, with 100 million monthly active users by the end of January 2023. It has spurred the development of similar products in the industry, yet also sparked debates over issues like misinformation and job displacement.