Major update for ChatGPT on WhatsApp: Now you can send images and voice notes

Dubai: OpenAI has significantly enhanced ChatGPT's capabilities on WhatsApp, surpassing Meta's AI by introducing image and voice interactions. With this new update, users can now send images and voice messages for analysis by the chatbot.

This update builds on the initial rollout of ChatGPT on WhatsApp, which initially supported only text-based queries. Now, ChatGPT can process photos, memes, and voice recordings, enhancing user interaction in exciting new ways.

The update follows the introduction of an official phone number for the ChatGPT WhatsApp service in December 2024, which initially supported text only.

With image processing, users can send photos or memes to ChatGPT and receive insightful responses about the visual content. However, it's important to note that while the system can analyze and comment on images, it cannot generate new images at this stage.

Voice input is another key feature, allowing users to send voice messages and receive text-based responses from ChatGPT. This upgrade offers a convenient alternative for those who prefer speaking over typing long queries, especially in situations where typing is difficult.

While these updates enhance the user experience, users should exercise caution when sending images containing personal or sensitive information, as these will be processed on OpenAI's servers.

OpenAI has hinted at future developments, including the possibility of allowing users to sign into their ChatGPT accounts directly via WhatsApp, enabling synchronisation of conversations across WhatsApp and the ChatGPT app or web client.

To start using ChatGPT on WhatsApp, follow these steps:

1.    Add the official ChatGPT number: +1-800-242-8478 to your contacts.

2.    Open the chat window.

3.    Start the conversation by sending a text message, image, or voice message.

Additionally, OpenAI plans to release further updates, including the ability to access ChatGPT accounts directly via WhatsApp, making it easier to sync conversations across platforms.

In other updates, OpenAI has introduced the "Deep Research" option, allowing users to perform multi-step online research for more complex tasks. This is part of a series of advancements, following the earlier release of Operator AI, which can navigate the web and perform browser operations autonomously.