ChatGPT to Go Paid Soon with ‘Pro’ Version, Opens Waitlist

(US and Canada) ChatGPT owner OpenAI is considering options to monetize the AI platform. “We’re starting to think about how to monetize ChatGPT. Our goal is to continue improving and maintaining the service, and monetization is one way we’re considering to ensure its long-term viability,” said an official update on the company’s Discord server.

Greg Brockman, President and Co-founder of OpenAI took to Twitter earlier this month to announce that the company is already “working on a professional version of ChatGPT” that “will offer higher limits and faster performance.’ Brockman also shared a waitlist form for “professional ChatGPT access.”

The form also reveals that the limited experimental ChatGPT Professional is designed for professional use with no blackout windows, faster responses, and more messages than the regular daily limit. The form however does not mention a pricing plan and says that the payment process will be set up with the pilot.

This announcement from the AI research firm comes on the back of the rapid adoption of its AI chatbot. Reportedly, the ChatGPT acquired over a million users in less than a week since its launch last month. OpenAI had received an investment of $1 billion from Microsoft in 2019, as a part of an exclusive computing partnership to build new Azure AI technologies. Reportedly, the tech giant is planning to infuse another $10 billion into OpenAI.

Microsoft also announced the general availability of Azure OpenAI Service as part of its efforts to democratize AI and the ongoing partnership with OpenAI. With Azure OpenAI Service now generally available, more businesses can apply for access to advanced AI models including GPT-3.5, Codex, and DALL·E 2.