Users of OpenAI’s ChatGPT are facing difficulties as the AI-powered chatbot experiences outages on both web and mobile platforms. Reports indicate that attempts to interact with ChatGPT via the Android mobile app are met with error messages indicating server issues. Similarly, users of the iOS app and web version encounter “Request Timeout” notices, rendering the chatbot unable to generate responses.
- Service Disruptions: The outage, which began on May 3, has affected a significant portion of OpenAI’s user base, with ChatGPT bearing the brunt of the issues. Reports suggest that 90% of the observed outages are related to ChatGPT, highlighting the widespread impact of the disruption. Additionally, a small percentage of users have reported problems with the OpenAI website and login functionality.
- Global Impact: The outage has garnered attention on social media platforms, with users from around the world reporting widespread disruptions to ChatGPT’s services. Complaints about the unavailability of the AI chatbot on platforms like X (previously Twitter) further underscore the extent of the issue, indicating a global outage affecting various channels of access.
- Lack of Acknowledgment: Despite the widespread reports of service disruptions, OpenAI has yet to formally acknowledge the problem. This lack of acknowledgment has left users frustrated and uncertain about the timeline for resolution, exacerbating the impact of the outage on their ability to utilize ChatGPT for various tasks and interactions.
- Previous Incidents: This recent outage follows similar challenges observed last month, during which a large percentage of users encountered difficulties accessing ChatGPT across multiple platforms. At that time, OpenAI attributed the downtime to increased latency and errors affecting both ChatGPT and APIs, ultimately leading to a service restart.
As users await further updates from OpenAI regarding the current outage, the incident serves as a reminder of the inherent risks associated with reliance on AI-powered services for critical tasks and communication. In an increasingly interconnected world, disruptions to such services can have far-reaching consequences, underscoring the importance of robust infrastructure and contingency planning in mitigating downtime and ensuring seamless user experiences.
