OpenAI erases the benefits of ChatGPT Plus. This sounds as risky as it is forward-thinking.

The benefits of the paid version of ChatGPT over the free version have become even more blurred, but the explanation may lie in the long term.

OpenAI took a bold step with the release of GPT-4o. Through its business approach, the company seemed to be more generous with its free users in order to create need for them and increase conversions.

Their movements over the past few hours make the ChatGPT Plus subscription a less attractive product than before.

Because it’s important. The line between the free and paid versions of ChatGPT becomes very blurred in a short time. This raises questions about the added value of the Plus version and could impact OpenAI’s monetization strategy for at least the next few months.

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Context. These changes, especially the combination of apps for everyone and resuming a pending voice conversation, negate the benefits of upgrading to ChatGPT Plus.

OpenAI appears to be prioritizing mass adoption over immediate monetization. This strategy seems both risky and forward-thinking.

Let’s go deeper. Super-fast voice conversation, one of GPT-4o’s greatest attractions, is still reserved for paying users, but delaying it for at least another four months would leave the whole place with one less incentive to pay.

OpenAI cited among the reasons for this delay the need to improve security and detect inappropriate content.

Influence. OpenAI’s decision to provide some advanced features to any user could have consequences:

• More pressure on competitors who are now forced to offer more features in the free plan. The twins and Claude are in the spotlight.
• Accelerating adoption: More sectors are starting to use ChatGPT following the news announced in May.
• Monetization problems. OpenAI will have to balance its earnings if the benefits of the premium plan continue to be eroded.

What else does the paid version offer?. Although it loses some benefits, ChatGPT Plus retains some advantages:

• Priority access during peak hours, although this seemed to be a more frequent issue in the early months of the service.
• Unlimited use of GPT-4o, as opposed to restrictions on free users.
• Early access to new features and updates in beta.
• Expanded conversation storage for future use.
• Ability to create and configure GPT.

In perspective. While ChatGPT Plus retains noticeable benefits, the gap with the free plan has narrowed significantly. This could be a sign that OpenAI aims to become a mainstream standard and dominate the conversational AI market.

On the other hand, the company faces the challenge of maintaining the attractiveness of its premium offerings to continue generating a healthy revenue stream. The first step will be to add new exclusive features. Or, why not, launch GPT-5 sooner rather than later.

In Hatak | ChatGPT and its competitors are boring. And turning them into fun chatbots won’t be easy.

Featured Image | Ilgmyzin on Unsplash