Open AI offers a monthly subscription for ChatGPT. For $20, subscribers can avoid being shut out if the program is in heavy use or if it crashes.

OpenAI Institutes Pay-to-Play $20 Subscription to Popular ChatGPT to Ensure User Access

We should have known it was too good to last—the free ChatGPT from Open AI now offers access for a monthly fee. While it’s not mandatory, access can be overloaded for the free version.

Lucas Ropek writing for gizmodo.com breaks the news about OpenAI adding a cost for using ChatGPT. According to Ropek:

“OpenAI has announced the launch of a paid version of ChatGPT that, for $20 a month, will allow you to…uh, keep using ChatGPT, I guess.”

In a blog post published Wednesday, the research organization announced the release of “ChatGPT Plus,” a pilot subscription plan for its uncanny little toy. What do you get for your monthly subscription fee? Well, to be honest, not a whole helluva lot—at least, not yet.

It’s really not a lot of money for this amazing little tool. But how often do you need a robot to write something for you. and remember it is capable of writing anything. Short stories, essays, love letters, workout routines, and the list is practically endless.

OpenAI says the premium version of its chatbot will include “general access to ChatGPT, even during peak times” (this is supposed to be a perk because the chatbot has been known to crash due to popularity), faster response times (also good, because the bot can lag), and “priority access to new features and improvements.” That “priority access” may sound good, but OpenAI fails to specify what any of those upcoming features or improvements will actually be.

“We launched ChatGPT as a research preview so we could learn more about the system’s strengths and weaknesses and gather user feedback to help us improve upon its limitations. Since then, millions of people have given us feedback, we’ve made several important updates and we’ve seen users find value across a range of professional use-cases…We plan to refine and expand this offering based on your feedback and needs.”

There are several other chatbots that have various limitations or writing features you have to navigate. And many are at a cost.

There is one more thing about this Open AI news: the original ChatGPT will continue to be free to use, so you don’t have to subscribe if you don’t want to.

read more at gizmodo.com