OpenAI introduces group chat within ChatGPT, giving you a way to involve up to 20 other users in a shared conversation with your chatbot. The feature is now available to all logged-in users after a brief pilot earlier this month, moving ChatGPT from a primarily one-on-one tool to one that supports small group collaboration.
OpenAI is positioning this update as an easy way to plan daily tasks with friends, family, and colleagues, like making dinner, preparing for a trip, or creating an outline together. But this feature could have broader value for work teams that already use ChatGPT for brainstorming, research, and early project discussions.
How it works
Start a group chat by selecting the “people” icon in the top right corner of the ChatGPT app. The app can create new shared spaces by copying current conversations and invite others by sending a link. The link can then be shared again, allowing more people to join the discussion.
When a user joins or creates a group chat for the first time, ChatGPT asks them to set a name, username, and profile picture so the group can identify who is speaking. OpenAI says ChatGPT is trained to “follow the flow of the conversation” and decide when to respond and when to remain silent. If you want ChatGPT to add something directly to you, you can mention “ChatGPT” in your message. Models can also respond with emojis and use their profile photos when creating personalized images.
The settings panel in the top right corner of the screen allows users to add or remove users, mute notifications, or provide custom instructions to ChatGPT. OpenAI says the model does not use memories of private chats within group conversations and does not create new memories based on group activity.
Group chat runs in GPT-5.1 Auto, choosing a response model based on the prompt and options available to the user. Rate limiting applies only when ChatGPT sends messages. This deployment follows the recent release of the GPT-5.1 Instant and Thinking models, as well as the previously released Sora, a social app for creating short videos.
How group chat supports real collaboration
While consumer pitches focus on casual planning, many of the challenges businesses face stem from how people share ideas, review drafts, and coordinate different roles. Group chat can help alleviate some of that friction by giving your team a single space to chat with ChatGPT in the loop.
Cross-departmental team collaboration
Large organizations strive to keep product, design, engineering, and marketing teams aligned, especially at the beginning of a project. Initial ideas may be scattered across email threads and chat apps.
Group chats allow everyone to post in one place. If someone joins late or misses part of the discussion, ChatGPT can help you summarize the thread, identify unanswered questions, and turn group notes into a structured plan. This allows teams to move from initial discussions to action without losing context.
Smoother review cycle
Drafts typically go through a long review loop involving different people using different channels. Comments are submitted at different times, making it difficult to track which version is current.
Group chat allows teams to react to the same draft together. ChatGPT can rewrite passages, compare alternative versions, and clarify feedback, potentially speeding up teams dealing with tight deadlines and frequent updates.
Onboard new teammates faster
New team members joining a project that is months old must spend time tracking down old messages and files to understand how decisions were made. Managers can reduce the time needed for onboarding by adding new teammates to existing group chats and asking ChatGPT to summarize past discussions, highlight key choices, and view open tasks.
Coordinating shared tasks
Day-to-day coordination such as preparing for internal workshops, drafting emails to customers, and planning events can often take several days depending on the messages being sent back and forth. In a group chat, anyone can ask ChatGPT to create a schedule, rewrite a message, create a checklist, or compare options. Groups can coordinate details together without having to start from scratch each time.
Organize creative feedback
Feedback coming in messy or contradictory formats can stall creative work. Designers, writers, and analysts often have their comments spread across various channels. Group chat keeps all your feedback in one place. ChatGPT can group comments by theme, point out inconsistencies, and suggest drafts that reflect your team’s wishes. This helps reduce rework and steers the group in a shared direction.
Broad changes in how teams use ChatGPT
The introduction of group chat comes at a time when many companies are testing ways to incorporate AI more deeply into their workflows. ChatGPT is already helping many users draft, summarize, and revise their work. Giving teams a shared space can change the shape of conversations in the early stages of a project, especially for organizations experimenting with AI-powered planning and review.
This feature doesn’t replace human coordination, but it introduces a shared surface where people can talk to each other and bring ChatGPT into the discussion if needed. For teams dealing with scattered input, slow reviews, or quick context switches, group chats can provide an easier way to move projects forward.
(Photo provided by Soren Feissa)
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