OpenAI has introduced a novel way to interact with its popular ChatGPT artificial intelligence system through traditional phone calls and messaging platforms. The company announced Wednesday that users can now access ChatGPT by dialing 1-800-CHATGPT (1-800-242-8478) or through WhatsApp messaging.

The service offers U.S. callers 15 minutes of free access per month, while WhatsApp messaging capabilities are available to users worldwide. According to OpenAI, this initiative aims to make their AI technology more accessible through familiar communication channels.

This launch is part of OpenAI's recent series of major announcements during their 12-day release event, which included the official debut of Sora, their sophisticated AI video generation platform. The phone service rollout aligns with OpenAI's broader expansion strategy, marked by the recent hiring of their first chief marketing officer and the introduction of integrated search capabilities within ChatGPT.

These developments come as OpenAI strengthens its position in the competitive generative AI market, where it faces competition from major tech players including Anthropic (backed by Amazon), Elon Musk's xAI, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon. Industry analysts project this market could generate over $1 trillion in revenue within the next decade.

The company's financial foundation remains robust, having completed a funding round in October that valued the company at $157 billion. Additionally, OpenAI secured a $4 billion revolving credit line, bringing their total available liquidity to more than $10 billion.

While the phone service is currently available without requiring a ChatGPT account, OpenAI developers indicated during a livestream that they are developing ways to integrate WhatsApp messaging with users' existing ChatGPT credentials.