ChatGPT: a plain-English guide

What ChatGPT is and who makes it

ChatGPT is a general-purpose AI assistant made by OpenAI, an AI research and product company based in San Francisco. You type or speak a request and ChatGPT answers in plain language: it can explain a topic, draft an email, rewrite a paragraph, write and debug code, read a file you upload, search the web or create an image. For many people it was the first AI assistant they ever tried.

The name combines "chat" with GPT, the family of large language models that OpenAI trains. ChatGPT is the app; GPT models are the engines behind it. OpenAI also sells access to its models through the OpenAI API, so the same model family shows up inside many other companies' products as well.

The GPT model family

OpenAI updates its models often, so it helps to know how the lineup is organized rather than memorize version numbers:

• The current generation. As of October 2026, the main chat model in ChatGPT is GPT-6. OpenAI uses a lighter variant for the Free and Go plans and a stronger variant for paid plans, so two people can see the same model name and still get different results.
• Reasoning effort. Rather than separate "fast" and "thinking" products, ChatGPT lets you choose how much thought goes into an answer, from instant replies to slower, more careful reasoning for hard problems. The higher settings are part of paid plans.
• A Pro option. The most demanding mode is reserved for the top individual and business plans and is meant for long, difficult tasks where accuracy matters more than speed.
• Specialized models. OpenAI runs separate models for live voice conversations, image generation and its Codex coding agent.
• Open-weight models. OpenAI has also released a small set of open-weight models, called gpt-oss, under the Apache 2.0 license. Anyone can download them and run them on their own hardware, but they are separate from the models inside ChatGPT.

What ChatGPT is good at

• Everyday questions and explanations. ChatGPT covers a very wide range of topics and can pitch its explanation at your level, from a simple overview to a technical walkthrough.
• Writing and editing. Drafting emails, reports, cover letters, social posts and stories, or rewriting your own text in a different tone or length.
• Coding. Writing functions, explaining error messages, reviewing code and converting between programming languages. OpenAI's Codex product is built for longer coding tasks.
• Files and images. You can upload documents, spreadsheets and photos and ask questions about them.
• Interactive answers. Since the GPT-6 update, ChatGPT can mix text with diagrams, charts, buttons and small tools such as calculators inside a reply when that suits the question.
• Voice. The apps support spoken conversations, which helps with language practice or hands-free use.
• Extras. Custom GPTs, memory, projects, web search and app connections.

Limits to keep in mind

ChatGPT is capable, but it is not an authority. Like every large language model, it can state wrong facts with confidence, mix up sources, or invent details such as quotes, statistics and references. For anything that matters, such as health, money, legal questions or school work you will hand in, check the key facts against a reliable source. Our guide on how to fact-check AI answers shows a quick routine.

There are practical limits too. Free use comes with usage caps and a lighter model. Some features, including the higher reasoning settings and the Pro option, need a paid plan. Features also vary by country and account type, and ChatGPT only knows about very recent events when it searches the web for that answer.

How to use ChatGPT officially

The official ways to use ChatGPT are the website at chatgpt.com, the ChatGPT apps for iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows, and, for developers, the OpenAI API. In many regions you can try ChatGPT without an account; signing in adds chat history, memory and more features. Plans run from Free and Go to Plus and Pro for individuals, plus Business and Enterprise for organizations. Prices and limits change often, so check OpenAI's own pages before you subscribe.

Watch out for look-alike apps that borrow the ChatGPT name; the official link in the facts section of this page goes to OpenAI's site.

Privacy notes

On individual plans, OpenAI may use your conversations to improve its models unless you opt out. To stop that, open Settings, go to Data controls and turn off "Improve the model for everyone". Your chats stay in your history; they just are not used for training. If you rate an answer with thumbs up or down, OpenAI says the whole conversation may still be used, even after you opt out.

Temporary chats are a good option for one-off questions. While a chat stays temporary, it does not appear in your history, does not create memories and is not used for training, although OpenAI may keep a copy for up to 30 days for safety reasons. Business and Enterprise workspaces follow their own admin settings. Whatever plan you use, avoid pasting passwords, ID numbers, private health details or other people's personal data. Our AI privacy and safety guide covers good habits for any chatbot.

How ChatGPT compares

ChatGPT is the broadest all-rounder: lots of features, apps on every platform and a large ecosystem. Claude is often chosen for long documents, careful writing and agent-style coding. Gemini stands out if you live in Google's apps or work with photos, audio and video. DeepSeek appeals to people who want open weights and low-cost access, and Grok leans on real-time posts from X. For details, read ChatGPT vs Claude, ChatGPT vs Gemini, ChatGPT vs DeepSeek and Grok vs ChatGPT.

FAQ

Is ChatGPT free?

Yes. There is a free plan with usage limits and a lighter model. Paid plans add higher limits, stronger models, more reasoning effort and extra features.

Is ChatGPT the same thing as GPT?

Not quite. GPT is the family of models OpenAI trains; ChatGPT is the app built on top of them. Other products can also use GPT models through OpenAI's API.

Can ChatGPT browse the internet?

Yes. ChatGPT can search the web for questions about recent events and show the sources it used. Open those sources yourself when the answer matters.

Does ChatGPT remember my conversations?

If memory is on, ChatGPT can recall details you shared before to personalize later answers. You can review or delete memories, turn the feature off, or use a temporary chat that does not create memories.

Is ChatG the same as ChatGPT?

No. ChatG is an independent AI chat website. It is not made by OpenAI and is not affiliated with it. This page is simply a guide to ChatGPT. If you want a free AI chat in your browser without an account, you can try ChatG free.