Thousands of individuals encountered difficulties using ChatGPT this afternoon, with over 7,600 people reporting issues with OpenAI, the platform operator, starting from approximately 3:20 pm. Users faced warnings of “unusual activity detected on your phone” and experienced problems loading past chats or initiating new ones. ChatGPT users in the UK expressed frustration as the app remained non-functional. Reports on Downdetector indicated disruptions, with one individual mentioning a loss of connection since 3:35 pm. Suggestions were made to resolve regional interruptions by connecting to VPN networks in Singapore or Taiwan.
A map displaying user-reported issues with ChatGPT showcased a concentration of complaints in London, Manchester, and Birmingham, with close to 6,000 problem notifications by 3:52 pm. Users expressed an inability to begin new conversations within the app, citing error messages like “hmmm something seems to have gone wrong” when attempting to interact. Users shared error messages received, such as “Hmm… something seems to have gone wrong,” reflecting a surge in reported issues. Downdetector data revealed that a majority of the 7,600 reported problems stemmed from ChatGPT usage specifically.