ChatGPT arrives on Apple App store for iPhones: Everything you need to know

What is ChatGPT, how it works, where can it be accessed and more about the AI chatbot, that can do everything from holding conversations to writing essays

Since its launch in 2022, ChatGPT has become a source of entertainment and professional input. With its ability to understand and generate text in a conversational manner, ChatGPT has become a valuable tool for users seeking information, engaging in discussions, or simply desiring an interactive and engaging conversation partner. Here's everything you need to know about the latest artificial intelligence tool.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) natural language processing (NLP) tool. It stands for ‘Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer’ and has been trained to engage with users in the conversation using natural conversation.

Who made ChatGPT?

ChatGPT was developed by OpenAI, an AI research and deployment company, and is currently available to use for free by users to engage in conversation, provide information, and complete writing tasks.

A paid version was made available in the beginning of February this year, called ChatGPT Plus. The subscription model offers a more updated version of the AI, GPT-4, and faster response time at $20 a month.

The company has also created DALL-E-2, an AI art generator, and Whisper, an automatic speech recognition system.

What can it do?

ChatGPT's primary function is to provide assistance and generate responses based on the input it receives from users. It can answer questions, provide information on various topics, engage in discussions, and even offer suggestions or recommendations. Its capabilities extend beyond factual knowledge, as it can also engage in creative writing, storytelling, and provide personalised responses.

ChatGPT utilises machine learning algorithms to understand and generate human-like responses. It learns patterns and contexts from the vast amount of training data it has been exposed to, allowing it to generate relevant and coherent responses in real time.

Who can download it?

The app version of the AI is now available for iPhone users with iOS 16.1 and later for free. Only people with the iPhone 8 or newer model can access the app at the moment.

In their blog post on Thursday, OpenAI stated, "P.S. Android users, you're next! ChatGPT will be coming to your devices soon.” While OpenAI suggested an Android version of the app may be made available, an official announcement has been made yet. Currently, the app is only available in the United States but will expand to other countries in the coming weeks.

How to download it?

ChatGPT can be accessed on browsers from any device through the OpenAI webpage (https://openai.com/).

The app can be downloaded from the App Store, currently only available in the United States, but will gradually rollout in other countries, as stated by OpenAI in their blog announcement yesterday. They state, “We’re eager to see how you use the app. As we gather user feedback, we’re committed to continuous feature and safety improvements for ChatGPT.”

For Android users, once developed, the app will be available for download on the Google Play Store.

Drawbacks of ChatGPT

ChatGPT has become popular due to its ease of access, however, users should be careful as the AI has received a lot of criticism from users for sharing biased or factually incorrect information. Since the technology is based on ‘reinforcement learning’, those with the right skills can get past ChatGPT’s content filters, providing it with inaccurate information. Many tech websites have also released instructions on how to accomplish this.

These instances have been shared by users on social media sites, blog posts, and videos. Therefore, despite its benefits, ChatGPT cannot be used or relied on as an authoritative source of information, as stated in an article by the Entrepreneur in April 2023.