What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT launched in November 2022 and fundamentally changed how people interact with AI. The flagship model is now GPT-5.5 — OpenAI fully retired GPT-4o and the rest of the GPT-4 line from the ChatGPT interface in February 2026 — and it handles a remarkable range of tasks, from drafting emails and summarising documents to debugging code and analysing data. The free tier is ad-supported in the US but still capable for everyday use. An $8/mo Go plan now sits between Free and Plus for budget users. Plus ($20/mo) unlocks the full GPT-5.5 experience, built-in image generation, custom GPTs, voice mode, and file uploads, while Pro splits into a $100/mo Codex-focused plan and a $200/mo Max plan for the heaviest users. The interface is clean and familiar, and the breadth of things it can do still impresses even after years of use.
Pros & Cons
What works well
- Extremely versatile — handles almost any task
- GPT-5.5 is OpenAI's most capable model yet
- Huge library of community-built custom GPTs
- Excellent code generation and debugging
- Built-in image generation on paid plans
Things to know
- Can confidently state inaccurate facts (hallucinations)
- Knowledge cutoff means it misses recent events
- Full GPT-5.5 access and the best features still require a paid plan
What people use ChatGPT for
- Content writing and editing
- Code help and debugging
- Research and summarisation
- Brainstorming ideas
- Learning new subjects
- Data analysis with Code Interpreter
Pricing
Free plan (ad-supported) with limited GPT-5.5 access. Go at $8/month, Plus at $20/month, and Pro plans at $100–$200/month for developers and power users.
See current pricing