Maria Diaz/ZDNET
OpenAI’s ChatGPT unleashed an artificial intelligence (AI) revolution when it rolled out for public use in late 2022. Since then, ChatGPT, a conversational bot powered by OpenAI’s large language model (LLM), has dominated headlines and preoccupied the minds of executives running Twitter, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta, inspiring them to create their own generative AI projects.
After launching in November 2022, ChatGPT gained 100 million users by January 2023, becoming the fastest-growing ‘app’ of all time, surpassing TikTok — until Threads dethroned it in July.
Also: OpenAI makes it easier for developers to fine-tune and build AI models
ChatGPT is so popular and high-performing that some wonder if it could replace programmers, writers, and doctors. Others are thinking about how the AI bot could revolutionize different industries.
How to use ChatGPT
Start by going to chat.openai.com. You don’t need to create an account on the OpenAI website to log in and access ChatGPT anymore, but you can create a free account if you want to access past conversations with the free tier of ChatGPT or if you want to use ChatGPT Plus.
Also: How does ChatGPT work?
To create an account, click ‘Sign up’ on the bottom left of the chat screen and follow the prompts to enter your information. OpenAI requires a valid phone number for verification to create an account on its website.
Maria Diaz/ZDNET
Once you open ChatGPT, it’s time to learn how to navigate the AI language model. Here’s a breakdown of what you will see, with the image below as an example:
New chat & hide sidebar buttons: On the left-hand side of your screen, you’ll see a button for ‘New chat’ that you can click on to start a fresh conversation at any time. ChatGPT remembers what was previously discussed in a conversation and will respond with context, so starting a new chat will create a new discussion without context.
Chat history: The left sidebar also keeps all your previous conversations accessible in case you need to go back to one, although there is the option to turn off chat history. Here, you can edit the title of each chat, share your chat history with others, or delete it.
Account (if logged in): Clicking on your name on the bottom left of your screen will give you access to your account information, including settings, the option to log out, get help, and access FAQs from OpenAI. If you don’t have ChatGPT Plus, you may see an Upgrade button here to sign up for it.
ChatGPT 3.5 drop-down menu: You can choose which LLM you’d like to use near the top of the screen, above your conversation, but you must log in to a paid ChatGPT Plus account to access GPT-4.
Your prompts: The questions or prompts you send the AI chatbot appear in the middle of the chat window, with your account photo or initials to the left.
ChatGPT’s responses: Whenever ChatGPT responds to your queries, the logo will appear on the left. The Copy, Thumbs Up, and Thumbs Down buttons appear to the right of each response. You can copy the text to your clipboard to paste it elsewhere and provide feedback on whether the response was accurate. This human feedback process helps fine-tune the AI tool through reinforcement learning.
Regenerate response: If you have issues getting a response in the chat or don’t get a satisfactory answer, you can click on ‘Regenerate response’ to prompt ChatGPT to try again with a new reply for the latest prompt.
Text area: This is where you enter your prompts and questions.
ChatGPT disclaimer: OpenAI includes some fine print below the text input area, where you can read the disclaimer that “ChatGPT can make mistakes. Consider checking important information.” OpenAI adds this disclaimer because AI bots like ChatGPT can hallucinate and give nonsensical answers, so fact-checking is important. In the past, this section showed the version of the ChatGPT model currently in use, but this feature has been discontinued.
Also: The ethics of generative AI: How we can harness this powerful technology
If you haven’t created an account, click on ‘Sign up’. Otherwise, you can start using ChatGPT right away.
Screenshot by Maria Diaz/ZDNET
Now that you know how to access ChatGPT, it’s time to start asking it questions to get human-like responses. You can ask the language model any burning questions you might have and see what answers you get — the possibilities are endless. ChatGPT is a tool that can be applied in many projects, from software development to writing and translations and so much more.
Also: AI business is booming: ChatGPT Enterprise now boasts 600,000+ users
Type in any ChatGPT prompts in the text bar at the bottom of the page, and click the submit button to send your questions. The AI bot will then generate text to provide helpful answers to user queries.
ChatGPT doesn’t work like traditional search engines. Instead, the bot responds with information based on the training data in GPT-3.5 or GPT-4, respectively. The free version of ChatGPT has limited knowledge and is trained on information leading up to January 2022. GPT-4, accessible through a paid subscription, can access the internet and respond with up-to-date information.
When you send ChatGPT a message, it’ll reply within a few seconds.
Screenshot by Maria Diaz/ZDNET
ZDNET’s ChatGPT guides
ChatGPT is certainly not overrated; users can come up with creative ideas for anything, from asking questions in search of funny answers to correcting a bug in code. Across all these areas, one thing is abundantly clear: what makes this AI tool remarkable isn’t how innovative it is but that it’s great at generating text and is accessible and easy to use.
Here are some of ZDNET’s guides on different ways to use ChatGPT:
How to use ChatGPT to write code
How to use ChatGPT for work
How to use ChatGPT for school
Useful ChatGPT tips
FAQs
What are some good prompts for ChatGPT?
ChatGPT can generate responses to prompts that are good enough to ensure it becomes an essential tool for content generation, from writing essays to summarizing a book for you.
The better the prompt, the better the response you’ll get. Here are examples of prompts you could start with:
How does a computer store and process information?Analyze this code and tell me how to fix it: [Paste the code].Write a poem about migraines in Walt Whitman’s style.What is the difference between a virus and a bacterium?Write a sick note for my child who is missing school.Write a song/poem about [insert topic here] — try adding multiple details. Give it a list of ingredients from your pantry and ask it to write a recipe with them.Ask it to summarize ideas or concepts.Request a packing list for a three-day trip to the beach.
Your imagination is the limit. Have fun with different ChatGPT prompts. For example, ZDNET’s David Gewirtz asked the AI chatbot to write a WordPress plugin and used it to help him fix code faster. He also requested ChatGPT to write a Star Trek script and started a business using the technology and other AI tools.
Also: 4 ways generative AI can stimulate the creator economy
Others have used the tool to write malware. ChatGPT is an AI assistant programmed to reject inappropriate requests and doesn’t generate unsafe content, so it may push back if you give it certain phrases that direct it to unethical use.
Can I use ChatGPT without a login?
OpenAI now allows users to access the free version of ChatGPT, powered by GPT-3.5, without logging in, though you must create an account to access your chat history. To access GPT-4, you need an account and a ChatGPT Plus subscription.
Also: ChatGPT vs. Microsoft Copilot vs. Gemini: Which is the best AI chatbot?
If you’d rather access GPT-4 for free and without logging in to a website, you can use Microsoft Copilot, formerly known as Bing Chat, which is built with GPT-4, a larger and newer model than the one used in the ChatGPT free tier, also from OpenAI. You can log in with a Microsoft account for extended conversations.
What is ChatGPT Plus?
ChatGPT Plus is OpenAI’s paid subscription to ChatGPT, which offers users access to GPT-4 with web browsing, data analysis, and image creation capabilities. A paid subscription also gives you priority access to new features and lets you use the AI chatbot during peak times.
ChatGPT Plus also allows users to access GPTs, customized GPT bots created on specialized data for specific subjects, like travel, cooking, and coding.
Is ChatGPT accurate?
ChatGPT and other AI assistants are prone to misinformation because they’re imperfect and trained on massive amounts of data humans have created. These tools can be biased, if the data they use is flawed, and can give inaccurate responses, especially on world events.
You can challenge incorrect premises, but it’s important to fact-check information from ChatGPT and other applications.
Can I use ChatGPT on my phone?
OpenAI has launched mobile apps that are available on both iOS and Android. These apps offer a richer ChatGPT experience, letting users talk with ChatGPT through voice conversations powered by OpenAI’s Whisper without a Plus subscription.
Also: These are my 4 favorite AI chatbot apps for Android
If you don’t want to download an app, smartphone users can use the AI-based tool from their mobile browser.
The steps to use OpenAI’s ChatGPT from your mobile browser are the same as on a PC: go to chat.openai.com and start typing. The AI chatbot will work the same way as when you access it from your computer.