OpenAI adds group chat to ChatGPT for planning meals, trips and outlines
OpenAI’s latest update nudges ChatGPT out of the solo‑assistant role and into a shared workspace. The company rolled out a group‑chat function that sits alongside the familiar one‑on‑one interface, letting multiple users tap into the model at once. By embedding a “people” button in the top‑right corner, the tool promises a more collaborative experience without requiring any third‑party integrations.
Early screenshots suggest the UI stays largely unchanged, but the addition could reshape how users treat the chatbot—as a partner in everyday logistics rather than a solitary query engine. The timing is notable: as more households and remote teams lean on AI for routine planning, a built‑in multi‑user layer may reduce the need for separate messaging apps. Yet the rollout raises questions about privacy, moderation and how conversational context is managed across participants.
Below, OpenAI explains the intended use cases and walks through the simple steps to start a group conversation.
OpenAI positions the feature as a way to collaborate with friends, family members, or coworkers when doing things like organizing a dinner, creating travel plans, and drafting an outline -- all with ChatGPT on board. You create a group chat by selecting the "people" icon in the top-right corner of the ChatGPT app. ChatGPT will then copy your existing chat to a new group chat, where you can add others by sending them a link to your conversation (which they can also share).
ChatGPT will prompt you to enter a name, username, and photo the first time you enter or create a group chat, making it easier to see who's talking. OpenAI says it trained ChatGPT to go along with the "flow of the conversation," which means it will try to determine the best times to chime in and when to stay quiet. You can directly mention "ChatGPT" in a message if you want a response from the chatbot.
ChatGPT can also react to messages with emoji and reference profile photos when doing things like creating personalized images. You can access various settings by selecting the group chat icon on the top-right corner of the screen, which houses options to add or remove people, mute notifications, and give custom instructions to ChatGPT. OpenAI notes that ChatGPT won't use memories from your personal chats inside group conversations, nor will it create new memories based on your group chats.
ChatGPT uses GPT-5.1 Auto to power its responses in group chats, "which chooses the best model to respond with based on the prompt and the models available to the user that ChatGPT is responding to." Rate limits will only apply when ChatGPT sends a message in the chat.
Will group chats change how we plan? OpenAI now lets up to twenty participants join a single ChatGPT thread, and the feature is live for every logged‑in user worldwide after a brief pilot. By tapping the “people” icon, users can add friends, family or coworkers and let the AI chime in when it judges the conversation needs help, while staying quiet otherwise.
The rollout promises smoother coordination for dinner menus, travel itineraries and document outlines, with the model trained to detect the right moment to intervene. Yet the system’s judgment about when to speak may not always align with human expectations, and it’s unclear whether users will find the AI’s timing useful in practice. The announcement emphasizes collaboration, but no data on adoption rates or user satisfaction has been shared.
As the feature rolls out, its impact on everyday planning will depend on how reliably the model balances participation and restraint. Only further observation will clarify its practical value.
Further Reading
- ChatGPT group chats roll out to everyone - Engadget
- Introducing group chats in ChatGPT - OpenAI
- ChatGPT — Release Notes - OpenAI Help Center - OpenAI Help Center
- ChatGPT slides into the group chat - Axios
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Common Questions Answered
How do users create a group chat in the ChatGPT app?
Users tap the “people” icon in the top‑right corner, which copies the current one‑on‑one conversation into a new group thread. They can then invite others by sharing a generated link that lets participants join the same chat.
What collaborative tasks does OpenAI say the new group‑chat feature is designed for?
OpenAI positions the feature for planning dinner menus, creating travel itineraries, and drafting document outlines. The AI assists when it detects a need, helping friends, family, or coworkers coordinate these activities more efficiently.
How many participants can join a single ChatGPT group chat, and who can access the feature?
Up to twenty participants can be added to a single ChatGPT thread. The feature is live for every logged‑in user worldwide after a brief pilot, requiring no third‑party integrations.
When does the ChatGPT model intervene in a group conversation?
The model is trained to detect when the conversation could benefit from AI input and will chime in only at those moments. Otherwise, it remains silent, allowing human participants to lead the discussion.