OpenAI’s ChatGPT experienced a brief outage on Friday, affecting over 19,000 users. The disruption lasted for approximately 30 minutes, with users regaining access around 4:34 PM PT, and full service restored by 5 PM PT. OpenAI quickly addressed the issue, and CEO Sam Altman publicly apologized for the inconvenience on X (formerly Twitter). The outage was tracked by Downdetector, which reported that 19,403 users were impacted. Despite the temporary disruption, OpenAI reassured users that the service was fully operational again.
This outage marks a minor setback for OpenAI, which has seen remarkable growth since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. The chatbot now has a user base of 250 million weekly active users, and OpenAI’s valuation has surged to $157 billion. Revenues have exceeded expectations, reaching $3.6 billion, largely due to the increasing reliance on AI in various sectors. OpenAI has also made significant strides in enhancing its platform, including the introduction of real-time search capabilities for paid users and those in the SearchGPT waitlist, competing directly with platforms like Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot.
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In addition to software advancements, OpenAI is making moves in hardware development. The company is collaborating with Broadcom and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to create specialized AI chips, reducing its dependency on Nvidia’s GPUs. This shift aims to improve the efficiency of AI model processing, reflecting the growing demand for more powerful computing solutions as OpenAI continues to scale.
OpenAI’s growth is backed by $6.6 billion in funding from major investors like Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures, Microsoft, and Nvidia, elevating the company’s status as a leader in AI. Despite challenges like service disruptions, OpenAI’s continued innovation in both hardware and software demonstrates its commitment to maintaining its position at the forefront of the artificial intelligence industry.
