OpenAI Tests Group Chats with ChatGPT

OpenAI has begun limited testing of a new feature—group chats in ChatGPT. For now, the ability to create a shared dialogue involving the AI and multiple people is being rolled out selectively. The idea behind the innovation is to turn the chatbot into a participant in collective discussions. The neural network can help a group of friends choose a travel itinerary, assist colleagues in structuring a report, or help a family agree on a design for a future renovation.

To start such a conversation, you just need to tap the icon with multiple people in the app's interface. You can also add participants to an existing dialogue, but the system will create a separate group chat for this, keeping your private conversations confidential. Up to 20 people can be invited to a single chat by sharing a link, and each participant will need to create a minimal profile with a name and photo.

For group work, ChatGPT uses the GPT-5.1 Auto model. The developers have trained it with special "social" behavioral patterns, where the bot tries to follow the thread of the conversation and chimes in only when it seems appropriate. For instance, it might stay silent during a lively argument but offer a suggestion when participants are clearly at a dead end. If its opinion is needed immediately, you can simply mention "@ChatGPT" in a message. The bot has also gained the ability to react to messages with emojis and reference participants' profiles.

OpenAI specifically highlights privacy considerations, as the chatbot's "memory," which is formed in individual dialogues, is neither used nor updated in group chats. For conversations involving minors, an additional filter is automatically activated, limiting the display of sensitive content for all present.

For now, this is just the first phase of testing. How the feature develops will depend on feedback from the initial users. Only after analyzing their experience will the company make a decision on expanding the project's geography.