OpenAI adds group chat to ChatGPT for planning meals, trips and outlines
When I opened the new OpenAI update, the first thing I noticed was a tiny “people” button tucked in the top-right corner. Click it, and you get a group-chat view that sits right next to the usual one-on-one window. It looks like the same interface we’re used to, but now several folks can hop in and ask ChatGPT questions together - no extra plug-ins needed.
This seems aimed at turning the bot from a lone-wolf helper into something more like a shared notebook for planning trips, juggling grocery lists, or brainstorming work projects. Timing feels right, too. With more families and remote squads leaning on AI for everyday tasks, a built-in multi-user layer could cut down on the back-and-forth in Slack or WhatsApp.
Still, it’s unclear how privacy will hold up when multiple eyes see the same prompts, or how the model will keep track of who said what. OpenAI says the feature is meant for quick, informal collaboration, and they’ve laid out a few steps to start a group chat. I’m curious to see whether it actually smooths things out or just adds another tab to watch.
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.
Group chats could start to feel a lot like a planning hub. OpenAI just opened a feature that lets up to twenty people hop onto a single ChatGPT thread, and it’s already live for anyone who’s signed in after a short pilot. You tap the little “people” icon, pull in friends, family or coworkers, and the AI jumps in only when it thinks the conversation could use a nudge - otherwise it stays silent.
The idea is that it might smooth out the back-and-forth over dinner choices, travel plans or even a rough outline for a report. Still, the model’s sense of when to speak probably won’t line up perfectly with what we expect, and it’s unclear whether users will find that timing helpful. OpenAI hasn’t released any numbers on how many people are actually using it or how satisfied they are.
So, the real test will be whether the AI can keep a balance between being useful and being a bother. We’ll have to watch how it plays out in everyday planning before saying it’s a win.
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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.