ChatGPT will soon have a paid version in which the chatbot will always be available. Although the launch date is not yet known, OpenAI would have already defined the cost of the membership. Some users who have early access to this variant offered some details of its operation, and most importantly, the tentative price.
In accordance with The Verge, the ChatGPT Pro monthly fee would cost $42 per month. The strongest proof is a payment receipt shared by Zahid Khawaja, a developer specializing in artificial intelligence. Khawaja posted on his Twitter account two screenshots: one showing the differences between the free and pro version of ChatGPT, and a paid confirmation.
The ChatGPT pro subscription is in a pilot test and only available to a select few. Membership cost may change once it lands for all users. So far, OpenAI has not made any announcement about its availability, just a confirmation that it exists and is in an experimental phase. The company revealed that both the features and the price could undergo changes upon launch.
Image: Zahid Khawaja (Twitter)
The Pro version of ChatGPT would be the best alternative to keep the service active. Despite its great popularity, its creators do not monetize the AI-powered chatbot. This is a double-edged sword, since although it allows people to access it without paying a penny, the operating cost of the platform is very high. Tom Goldstein, a researcher at the University of Maryland, estimates that OpenAI spends up to $100,000 a day to maintain it.
What will the paid version of ChatGPT offer?
Although there is no official OpenAI announcement yet and the functions may change, the pilot phase has its offer well defined. The paid version of ChatGPT will always be available, especially when the demand for the service is high. Faster response time and priority access to new features are also offered.
In contrast, the free version of ChatGPT will only be available when demand is low. Response times when you ask questions will be longer, while updates will be normal. In short, things will not change much from what is happening now. If you are fond of using OpenAI’s artificial intelligence, surely you have experienced moments when the chatbot does not work or you have to wait a long time to ask a question.
Image: Zahid Khawaja (Twitter)
According to OpenAI, ChatGPT Pro will offer twice as many responses on a daily basis compared to its free counterpart. Although all this sounds great, the reality is that some users are not very convinced to pay $42 a month for the service. A report mentions that multiple people from the official Discord channel criticized the future subscription cost.
It is worth mentioning that not everyone uses ChatGPT in the same way and the Pro version would be a reliable alternative for those who have already integrated the chatbot into their workflow. The important thing is that the free variant will not disappear. Users will be able to make queries as always, although with the inconveniences that this represents.
ChatGPT Pro does not have a set release date. OpenAI may be finalizing details and may make the announcement in the coming months. For now, the company is also working on implementing its chatbot in the Bing search engine and the Office suite. Microsoft made a multi-billion dollar investment to ensure that artificial intelligence technology is soon available in its applications.