OpenAI launches group chat feature globally for up to 20 users

AI Assistant Shifts from Solo Sidekick to Collaborative Team Member

OpenAI has confirmed the global rollout of its new Group Chat feature for ChatGPT, allowing up to 20 people to collaborate with the AI assistant in a single, shared conversation. The move signals a major strategic pivot, transforming the world's most popular chatbot from a personal productivity tool into a powerful, shared workspace.

Following a successful pilot in select Asia-Pacific markets, the feature is now rolling out to all logged-in users across Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans worldwide.

The new AI group participant

The core innovation is not just the ability for multiple users to chat, but the way ChatGPT is integrated into the social dynamic. OpenAI has trained the model, powered by GPT-5.1 Auto, to exhibit new "social behaviors":

• Intelligent participation: Unlike a standard chatbot that responds to every prompt, ChatGPT is designed to follow the flow of the conversation and chime in only when it senses it is genuinely needed - such as when a question is clearly posed to the group, or when the discussion requires external facts or summarization.

• Direct tagging: Users can always get an immediate response by explicitly mentioning "@ChatGPT" in the thread.

• Full tool integration: All core ChatGPT features, including web search, image generation, file uploads, and data analysis, are available and shared within the group chat, enabling real-time collaborative tasks.

A hub for planning and collaboration

OpenAI is positioning the Group Chat as the ultimate hub for shared productivity and creative collaboration, citing several key use cases:

• Event Planning: Friends can collaboratively plan a trip, with ChatGPT instantly comparing flight costs, building itineraries, and generating packing lists.

• Team Projects: Colleagues can draft a document outline, share research articles, and have ChatGPT summarize key points for everyone simultaneously.

• Settling Debates: The AI can serve as an impartial fact-checker or referee to provide objective data to resolve friendly disagreements.

Privacy and control remain key

OpenAI addressed privacy concerns head-on, ensuring that group conversations remain separate from individual interactions.

A user's personal ChatGPT memory and custom instructions are not shared in the group chat, and the AI does not create new memories from the group's discussions.

Moreover, every participant is required to set up a short profile (name and photo), and group settings can be configured with group-specific custom instructions to tailor the AI’s persona for that particular chat.

If a user under the age of 18 joins a group chat, the system automatically activates enhanced content filters for everyone in the conversation.

Starting Group Chats in ChatGPT

Users can create a group chat by tapping the people icon in the top-right corner of a new or existing chat and sharing an invite link with up to 20 participants. The global launch cements OpenAI's ambition to embed its technology deeper into the fabric of everyday communication and shared decision-making.