OpenAI’s artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT is back online five hours after facing a major global outage.
During this time, millions of users were unable to access the chatbot and its capabilities, hampering their daily life. This begun shortly before 7:00 PM ET (5:30 AM IST) on Thursday, where users logging into ChatGPT received an error message saying that the service was unavailable. This disruption extended beyond ChatGPT also affected API and Sora.
ChatGPT maker OpenAI acknowledged this issue on social media, promising to fix it soon. “We’re experiencing an outage right now. We have identified the issue and are working to roll out a fix. Sorry and we’ll keep you updated!” they wrote.
We’re experiencing an outage right now. We have identified the issue and are working to roll out a fix.
Sorry and we’ll keep you updated!
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) December 12, 2024
Users React:
Predictably, this went down explosively with social media users, whose reactions ranged from humor to anger to exasperation to parodies. Many took to X to express their opinion, with OpenAI’s rivals using the outrage to indulge in light-hearted competition.
Time to move over to https://t.co/62KQ6hDkyX everyone!
— Tyne (@TyneAI) December 12, 2024
all I know is someone is getting fired
— Sam Altman (Parody) (@SamAltsMan) December 12, 2024
everyone going to Twitter to check if ChatGPT is down pic.twitter.com/teqrhYiBV7
— caxual (@PYKECOCK) December 12, 2024
#ChatGPT is down. Looks like everyone will have to finish their assignments the old fashioned way. pic.twitter.com/68xVq9DNf8
— Xon Kurama (@XonKurama) December 12, 2024
#ChatGPT is down. I can’t do anything 🤦 pic.twitter.com/mMSzwW5Z1k
— Jonathan Livni (@jonathanlivni) December 12, 2024
Me trying to remember how I did my assignment before ChatGPT so I can finish my assignment #ChatGPTdown #ChatGPT pic.twitter.com/c1rMyqfITe
— cool (@JJ393064) December 12, 2024
ChatGPT Restored
Fortunately, OpenAI was able to restore services to ChatGPT, API and Sora, announcing the news on X.
“ChatGPT, API, and Sora were down today but we’ve recovered,” they wrote.
ChatGPT, API, and Sora were down today but we’ve recovered. https://t.co/OKiQYp3tXE
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) December 12, 2024
This is the second major service outage by OpenAI, followed by the one from early November.
