OpenAI's ChatGPT Hit by Major Outage and Policy Shifts on February 3rd

Major ChatGPT Service Disruption

According to Главком: On February 3rd, OpenAI's ChatGPT experienced a significant service outage that was resolved by the end of the day. A surge in user complaints began after 10:00 PM that evening. OpenAI confirmed the technical issues, and the application's functionality started returning to normal after 11:00 PM. Such outages, while rare, highlight the challenges of scaling a massively popular AI service.

Business Model and Usage Policy Updates

Separately, code discovered in the beta version of the ChatGPT Android mobile app suggests preparations for introducing advertising. The code contains references to features like 'search ads' and 'advertisement carousel,' indicating potential changes to OpenAI's business model that could affect the user experience. This move could signal a new phase in the company's strategy to generate revenue from its flagship product.

Furthermore, the company has updated its Terms of Use, now restricting the provision of personalized medical and legal advice. ChatGPT will now only offer general informational guidance and will direct users to consult qualified professionals in these fields. These changes likely reflect a more cautious approach to managing liability and user safety in high-stakes areas.

These developments collectively show OpenAI actively adapting to a dynamic market and evolving user needs. The potential introduction of advertising represents a major step in product monetization, which could significantly impact the company's financial performance. Concurrently, the stricter usage rules demonstrate an effort to create a safer user environment by mitigating legal risks associated with providing unregulated medical or legal counsel.