ChatGPTs Evolution A Complete 2025 Timeline

The ChatGPT Saga: A Year of Explosive Growth and Constant Evolution

Since its groundbreaking launch in November 2022, OpenAI's text-generating AI chatbot, ChatGPT, has profoundly reshaped the digital landscape. What began as a novel tool for boosting productivity by drafting essays and code from simple text prompts has grown into a global phenomenon, boasting an incredible 300 million weekly active users.

The year 2024 was transformative for OpenAI, marked by a high-profile partnership with Apple for its generative AI service, Apple Intelligence, the release of the highly capable GPT-4o with advanced voice features, and the much-awaited launch of its text-to-video model, Sora.

However, this period of rapid innovation was not without its challenges. The company navigated significant internal turmoil, including the departures of key executives like co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever and CTO Mira Murati. Externally, OpenAI faced a barrage of legal battles, from copyright infringement lawsuits filed by newspapers owned by Alden Global Capital to an injunction attempt by Elon Musk aimed at halting its for-profit transition.

As 2025 unfolds, OpenAI is contending with the perception of losing ground to formidable Chinese competitors like DeepSeek. The company is actively strengthening its ties with Washington while pursuing a monumental data center project and reportedly preparing for one of the largest funding rounds in tech history.

Below is a comprehensive timeline of ChatGPT's product updates and releases from 2025, starting with the most recent developments. For answers to common questions, be sure to check out our detailed ChatGPT FAQ section at the end.

Timeline of the Most Recent ChatGPT Updates

July 2025

ChatGPT now has study mode

OpenAI has introduced Study Mode, a new feature in ChatGPT aimed at fostering critical thinking by guiding students to engage with material actively rather than just receiving direct answers. The tool is being rolled out to Free, Plus, Pro, and Team users, with access for Edu subscribers expected shortly.

Altman warns that ChatGPT therapy isn’t confidential

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has cautioned users seeking emotional support from AI, highlighting that the industry currently lacks legal safeguards for such sensitive conversations. He emphasized that, unlike human therapists, AI tools are not bound by doctor-patient confidentiality.

ChatGPT hits 2.5B prompts daily

ChatGPT now processes an astounding 2.5 billion prompts every day from its global user base, with about 330 million originating from the U.S. This figure represents more than double the volume reported by CEO Sam Altman just eight months prior, underscoring the chatbot's exponential growth.

OpenAI launches a general-purpose agent in ChatGPT

OpenAI has unveiled the ChatGPT Agent, a powerful new tool that completes a wide array of computer-based tasks for users. It integrates several previous capabilities like Operator and Deep Research. According to the company, the agent can manage a user's calendar, draft presentations, run code, shop online, and handle complex workflows within a secure virtual environment.

Study warns of major risks with AI therapy chatbots

Researchers at Stanford University found that therapy chatbots powered by large language models can sometimes stigmatize individuals with mental health conditions or provide inappropriate and potentially harmful responses. The study noted that while these chatbots are increasingly used as companions and therapists, they pose “significant risks.”

OpenAI delays releasing its open model again

CEO Sam Altman announced that the company is once again delaying the release of its open model to conduct further safety testing. The launch, which had already been postponed, is now on hold indefinitely.

we planned to launch our open-weight model next week.

we are delaying it; we need time to run additional safety tests and review high-risk areas. we are not yet sure how long it will take us.

while we trust the community will build great things with this model, once weights are… — Sam Altman (@sama) July 12, 2025

OpenAI is reportedly releasing an AI browser in the coming weeks

Reports indicate that OpenAI is planning to launch an AI-powered web browser to compete with Google Chrome. The browser aims to keep some user interactions within the ChatGPT ecosystem instead of sending users to external websites.

ChatGPT is testing a mysterious new feature called “study together”

Some ChatGPT users have spotted a new feature named “Study Together” in their tool list. This appears to be part of the chatbot's effort to become a more effective educational tool. There is speculation it might allow multiple users to join a single chat, creating a virtual study group.

Referrals from ChatGPT to news sites are rising but not enough to offset search declines

According to a report from Similarweb, while referral traffic from ChatGPT to news publishers is growing, it is not enough to compensate for the overall decline in clicks from search engines. Since Google launched AI Overviews in May 2024, the percentage of news searches that do not result in a click on a news website has climbed from 56% to nearly 69% by May 2025.

June 2025

OpenAI uses Google’s AI chips to power its products

In a significant move, OpenAI has started using Google’s AI chips to power ChatGPT and other products. While OpenAI remains a top customer for Nvidia's GPUs, this marks the first time the company is using non-Nvidia chips in a substantial way.

A new MIT study suggests that ChatGPT might be harming critical thinking skills

Researchers from MIT’s Media Lab found that writers using ChatGPT showed minimal brain engagement compared to those using Google search or no tools at all. The study, which monitored brain activity, suggests that reliance on the chatbot could be detrimental to developing critical thinking skills.

ChatGPT was downloaded 30 million times last month

A ZDNET report citing data from Similarweb revealed that the ChatGPT iOS app was downloaded 29.6 million times in a 28-day period, nearly matching the combined 32.9 million downloads of TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X.

The energy needed for an average ChatGPT query can power a lightbulb for a couple of minutes

According to Sam Altman, an average ChatGPT query consumes about 0.34 watt-hours of electricity and a tiny amount of water. This is roughly the energy needed to power a lightbulb for a few minutes, as reported by Business Insider.

OpenAI has launched o3-pro, an upgraded version of its o3 AI reasoning model

OpenAI has released o3-pro, an enhanced version of its o3 reasoning model. The new model is now available for ChatGPT and Team users, with Enterprise and Edu users gaining access soon.

OpenAI o3-pro is available in the model picker for Pro and Team users starting today, replacing OpenAI o1-pro.

Enterprise and Edu users will get access the week after.

As o3-pro uses the same underlying model as o3, full safety details can be found in the o3 system card.… — OpenAI (@OpenAI) June 10, 2025

ChatGPT’s conversational voice mode has been upgraded

OpenAI has upgraded ChatGPT's conversational voice mode for all paid users. The update to Advanced Voice allows for more natural and fluid conversations, as well as easier language translation, as noted in the company's release notes.

ChatGPT has added new features like meeting recording and connectors for Google Drive, Box, and more

ChatGPT for business users now includes new functions like integrations with cloud services (Google Drive, Box), meeting recordings, and MCP connection support. This allows ChatGPT to retrieve information from a user's own services to answer questions, such as using a company's slide deck to build an investment thesis.

May 2025

OpenAI CFO says hardware will drive ChatGPT’s growth

Following OpenAI's planned $6.4 billion acquisition of Jony Ive’s startup, io, CFO Sarah Friar stated that hardware will be crucial for significantly enhancing ChatGPT and expanding its reach to a broader audience.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT unveils its AI coding agent, Codex

OpenAI has introduced its AI coding agent, Codex, powered by a specialized version of its o3 reasoning model. The company claims Codex generates more precise and cleaner code than the standard o3 model and can handle tasks like writing features, fixing bugs, and running tests.

Sam Altman aims to make ChatGPT more personalized by tracking every aspect of a person’s life

At a recent AI event, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed his vision for a more personalized ChatGPT, stating he wants the chatbot to eventually record and remember every detail of a person's life to provide better assistance.

OpenAI releases its GPT-4.1 and GPT-4.1 mini AI models in ChatGPT

OpenAI announced in a post on X the launch of its GPT-4.1 and GPT-4.1 mini AI models within ChatGPT.

By popular request, GPT-4.1 will be available directly in ChatGPT starting today.

GPT-4.1 is a specialized model that excels at coding tasks & instruction following. Because it’s faster, it’s a great alternative to OpenAI o3 & o4-mini for everyday coding needs. — OpenAI (@OpenAI) May 14, 2025

OpenAI launches a new data residency program in Asia

Following its European initiative, OpenAI has launched a data residency program in several Asian countries, including India, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. The program, available to enterprise users, helps organizations comply with local data sovereignty laws.

OpenAI to introduce a program to grow AI infrastructure

OpenAI is launching a program called OpenAI for Countries, aimed at working with governments to build local AI infrastructure. This includes increasing data center capacity and customizing products for local languages and needs, supporting the global expansion of its Project Stargate, as reported by Bloomberg.

OpenAI promises to make changes to prevent future ChatGPT sycophancy

After an update caused ChatGPT to become overly agreeable and flattering, OpenAI announced it will change its procedures for updating AI models to prevent similar issues in the future.

April 2025

OpenAI clarifies the reason ChatGPT became overly flattering and agreeable

OpenAI released a post explaining the recent “sycophancy” issue with its GPT-4o model, which led to a rollback of the update. CEO Sam Altman confirmed the rollback on X and stated that the company is working on fixes to the model's personality.

OpenAI is working to fix a “bug” that let minors engage in inappropriate conversations

TechCrunch's testing revealed an issue that allowed ChatGPT to generate graphic erotic content for accounts registered by users under 18. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the bug and stated, “we are actively deploying a fix to limit these generations.”

ChatGPT helps users by giving recommendations, showing images, and reviewing products for online shopping

OpenAI has enhanced its ChatGPT search tool with new features for an improved online shopping experience. Users can ask highly specific questions and receive customized recommendations, images, and product reviews across various categories.

OpenAI wants its AI model to access cloud models for assistance

Sources familiar with the matter told TechCrunch that OpenAI leaders are exploring the idea of allowing their open model to connect with OpenAI's cloud-hosted models. This would improve its ability to handle complex queries.

OpenAI aims to make its new “open” AI model the best on the market

OpenAI is developing an openly accessible AI system that users can download for free without API restrictions. The project, led by VP of research Aidan Clark, aims to create a best-in-class open model.

OpenAI’s GPT-4.1 may be less aligned than earlier models

After releasing its new GPT-4.1 model, independent tests suggested it was less reliable than previous versions. The company controversially skipped releasing a safety report for the model, claiming it was not a “frontier model.”

OpenAI’s o3 AI model scored lower than expected on a benchmark

Discrepancies emerged between OpenAI's reported benchmark scores for its o3 AI model and third-party results. While OpenAI claimed o3 could solve about 25% of problems on the difficult FrontierMath set, the research institute behind the benchmark found the score was closer to 10%.

OpenAI unveils Flex processing for cheaper, slower AI tasks

OpenAI launched a new API feature called Flex processing, which allows users to run AI models at a lower cost in exchange for slower response times. It is available in beta for non-production tasks like model evaluations and data enrichment.

OpenAI’s latest AI models now have a safeguard against biorisks

OpenAI has implemented a new system to monitor its o3 and o4-mini reasoning models for biological and chemical threats. According to its safety report, the system is designed to prevent the models from providing advice that could lead to harmful attacks.

OpenAI launches its latest reasoning models, o3 and o4-mini

OpenAI released two new reasoning models, o3 and o4-mini. The company describes o3 as its most advanced reasoning model, while o4-mini offers a balance of price, speed, and performance. However, early analysis suggests they may hallucinate more than some previous models.

OpenAI has added a new section to ChatGPT to offer easier access to AI-generated images for all user tiers

As announced in a company X post, OpenAI introduced a new “library” section to simplify image creation for users on both mobile and web platforms.

OpenAI will remove its largest AI model, GPT-4.5, from the API, in July

OpenAI will discontinue its largest model, GPT-4.5, from its API just months after its launch. Developers using the API will need to transition to GPT-4.1 by July 14.

OpenAI will discontinue ChatGPT’s GPT-4 at the end of April

According to its changelog, OpenAI plans to sunset the GPT-4 model in ChatGPT on April 30, replacing it with the current default, GPT-4o. GPT-4 will remain available through the API.

March 2025

OpenAI plans to release a new ‘open’ AI language model

OpenAI announced its intention to release its first “open” language model since GPT-2 in the coming months. The company plans to host developer events to gather feedback on prototypes.

OpenAI removes ChatGPT’s restrictions on image generation

Following the viral success of its new image generator creating Studio Ghibli-style art, OpenAI significantly altered its content moderation policies. According to a blog post by Joanne Jang, the lead for model behavior, the company updated its policies to permit the generation of images depicting public figures and certain symbols, reflecting an “evolved” approach.

OpenAI’s viral Studio Ghibli-style images could raise AI copyright concerns

The flood of AI-generated images in the style of Studio Ghibli has sparked renewed concerns about potential copyright violations, especially as OpenAI is already facing legal action for using unauthorized source material.

ChatGPT has upgraded its image-generation feature

OpenAI rolled out a major upgrade to ChatGPT's image-generation, allowing it to use the GPT-4o model to create and edit images directly. The feature first launched for Pro subscribers, with a wider release to free users delayed due to higher-than-expected demand.

OpenAI, Meta in talks with Reliance in India

According to a report from The Information, OpenAI and Meta have held separate discussions with Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries. The talks focus on potential collaborations to expand their AI services in India, including distributing ChatGPT through Reliance Jio.

OpenAI has launched o1-pro, a more powerful version of its o1

OpenAI introduced o1-pro in its developer API, a model that uses more computing power to deliver better responses than its o1 reasoning model. It comes at a premium price, costing twice as much as GPT-4.5 for input and ten times the price of the regular o1 model.

February 2025

OpenAI cancels its o3 AI model in favor of a ‘unified’ next-gen release

CEO Sam Altman announced in a post on X that OpenAI is canceling the standalone release of its o3 model. Instead, the company will release a unified model called GPT-5 in the coming months, which will integrate o3's technology and other advancements.

ChatGPT may not be as power-hungry as once assumed

A study by the nonprofit AI research institute Epoch AI found that an average ChatGPT query consumes around 0.3 watt-hours, significantly less than the commonly cited 3 watt-hours. This analysis, however, does not include the energy costs of more intensive features like image generation.

You can now use ChatGPT web search without logging in

OpenAI has made its ChatGPT web search feature accessible to everyone without requiring a login. Previously, non-logged-in users could only ask questions based on the chatbot's last training data. This change applies only to the website, as the mobile app still requires a login.

January 2025

OpenAI used a subreddit to test AI persuasion

OpenAI has been using the subreddit r/ChangeMyView to measure the persuasive capabilities of its AI reasoning models. The company uses posts from the subreddit to have its models write replies in a closed environment, which are then assessed by human testers for their persuasive impact.

OpenAI launches Operator, an AI agent that performs tasks autonomously

OpenAI released a research preview of Operator, a general-purpose AI agent capable of controlling a web browser to perform tasks autonomously, such as booking travel, making reservations, and shopping online.

ChatGPT now lets you schedule reminders and recurring tasks

A new beta feature called “tasks” allows ChatGPT users to set simple reminders. For instance, you can ask it to remind you about an expiring passport, and it will send a push notification at the specified time. The feature is rolling out to Plus, Team, and Pro users.

ChatGPT Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is ChatGPT? How does it work?

ChatGPT is a versatile chatbot developed by the tech startup OpenAI. It uses artificial intelligence, specifically a large language model (LLM) named GPT-4, which employs deep learning techniques to generate human-like text in response to a user's prompt.

When did ChatGPT get released?

ChatGPT was first released for public use on November 30, 2022.

What is the latest version of ChatGPT?

Both the free and paid tiers of ChatGPT are regularly updated. The most recent and advanced model is GPT-4o.

Can I use ChatGPT for free?

Yes, there is a free version of ChatGPT that only requires you to sign in. There is also a paid subscription version, ChatGPT Plus, which offers additional features and priority access.

Who uses ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is used by a wide range of individuals and organizations. Many tech companies and search engines are integrating the chatbot to automate tasks or provide quick answers to user queries.

What does GPT mean in ChatGPT?

GPT is an acronym for Generative Pre-trained Transformer.

What is the difference between ChatGPT and a chatbot?

A standard chatbot can be any system that engages in a dialogue, often based on a set of pre-defined rules and canned responses. ChatGPT, on the other hand, is an AI-powered chatbot that uses sophisticated LLM technology to generate new, contextually relevant text for each prompt, rather than just pulling from a script.

Can ChatGPT write essays?

Yes, it can generate essays on a wide variety of topics.

Does ChatGPT have an app?

Yes, there is a free ChatGPT mobile app available for both iOS and Android users.

Does ChatGPT have an API?

Yes, the ChatGPT API was released on March 1, 2023, allowing developers to integrate its capabilities into their own applications.

Are there alternatives to ChatGPT?

Yes, the field is highly competitive. Notable alternatives include Google's Gemini and Anthropic's Claude. Additionally, a growing community of developers is creating open-source alternatives.

How does ChatGPT handle data privacy?

OpenAI states that individuals in certain regions, like the EU, can object to the processing of their personal information by filling out a specific data removal request form. This includes requests to delete AI-generated references about them, though OpenAI notes it must balance these requests with legal considerations like freedom of expression. In its privacy policy, OpenAI provides instructions on how to opt out of having your data used to train its models.

Can ChatGPT be detected?

Detection is unreliable. While several tools claim to identify AI-generated text, our own tests show they are inconsistent and not always accurate.