OpenAI Launches Group Conversations in ChatGPT, Allowing Seamless Collaboration With Friends and Colleagues

OpenAI believes the era of interacting with AI in isolation is evolving. With the launch of group chats in ChatGPT – the company’s first shared conversational experience for everyday users – people can now brainstorm, plan, and collaborate in a unified space. Acting like a smart moderator, ChatGPT helps manage discussions while ensuring clarity and productivity. The feature is presently being tested in four regions: japan, New Zealand, south korea, and Taiwan. OpenAI intends to expand access globally once it gathers initial user feedback (and once the system adjusts to being dragged into countless family debates and group projects).

ChatGPT Rolls Out Group Conversation Mode

“With group chats, you can bring friends, family, or coworkers into a shared space to plan, make decisions, or work through ideas together,” OpenAI explained while announcing the feature. This update rivals collaborative functions provided by competitors like Meta AI and Anthropic – but with the added advantage of being integrated into ChatGPT’s familiar interface.

Users can tap the newly added people icon positioned discreetly in the app’s corner to create a group. ChatGPT then generates a shareable link that can be used by anyone with a free or paid account. Up to 20 participants can join a single conversation – perfect for group planning, team projects, or spirited debates that may never reach a consensus.

If users want to convert an existing one-on-one chat into a group, ChatGPT conveniently creates a duplicate of the original conversation. This ensures that private messages remain untouched while the group receives a new shared thread to build upon. Each participant can set a profile picture, name, and username, making it easier to identify who is typing or who is dropping an excessive number of emojis.

All group chats are neatly organized in a dedicated sidebar section, ready to revisit for travel planning, project revisions, or even dinner-plan arguments moderated by AI diplomacy.

According to OpenAI, ChatGPT behaves differently in group environments. Instead of replying to every message, it analyzes the conversation flow and chooses the right moments to jump in – much like a patient colleague who steps forward only when needed. Participants can also mention the AI directly if they want immediate input.

Additionally, ChatGPT now supports emoji reactions, giving users the futuristic experience of having an AI silently cheer for (or agree with) their thoughts.

Group creators can add or remove members, while all participants have the ability to rename the chat or mute notifications – a vital option for groups with overly enthusiastic members.

Users can also customize instructions for each group, allowing ChatGPT to remain formal in work discussions while behaving playfully in meme groups – without mixing those distinct personalities.

Behind the scenes, ChatGPT uses GPT-5.1 Auto to determine the best model for each participant. This means the AI can tailor its responses based on each user’s plan – whether someone is using ChatGPT Free while another has ChatGPT Pro. The same conversation, but different model capabilities, creates a practical and dynamic collaborative experience.

The group can plan vacations, analyze budgets, design posters, create presentations, or even coordinate matching T-shirts – all without leaving the chat. This is possible because ChatGPT’s core features – including file sharing, image uploads, image generation, web search, and voice input – work inside group conversations as well.

Privacy, Parental Controls, and Safety Features

OpenAI emphasizes that the AI will not store shared content from group chats and that private memory will not apply within these conversations. While group creators cannot be removed, any member can leave whenever they choose.

When a child joins a group chat, sensitive content filters automatically activate for all participants, offering an extra layer of protection. Parents also have the option to disable group chats entirely for their children’s accounts.

Although the feature is still in testing, a wider global rollout is expected soon. Once launched worldwide, ChatGPT’s group conversations could become the internet’s newest hub for planning events, studying together, managing projects, or even hosting group therapy-style discussions – all with AI assistance.