Attention all ChatGPT fans! If you’re looking to use the popular chatbot for work-related tasks, you’re in luck. OpenAI has announced a waitlist for its experimental ChatGPT Professional service. This paid version of the bot will remove the limits that come with the free version and will always be available with no throttling and as many messages as you need. The launch date of the pilot program has not been announced yet, and OpenAI is seeking feedback on pricing.
OpenAI has been clear about the reasoning behind the launch of the paid version of ChatGPT. According to the company, it’s “starting to think” about how it will make money from ChatGPT and keep the technology viable in the long term. ChatGPT costs OpenAI a few cents for every chat, making it difficult to keep the bot free. OpenAI anticipates making $200 million in revenue this year, and reportedly wants to earn $1 billion in 2024, subscriptions could play an important role in achieving that goal.
It remains to be seen if there’s a large audience for ChatGPT Professional. The existing version had more than one million users as of early last month, but it’s uncertain how many of those are ‘serious’ users versus enthusiasts and curious onlookers. With Microsoft rumored to be integrating ChatGPT into its Bing search engine as soon as March, and investors experimenting with the technology as part of their workflows, the pilot could be crucial for gauging real-world demand and setting prices to turn a profit.
