ChatGPT, OpenAI's AI chatbot, experienced significant disruptions on February 6, 2025, affecting users worldwide.
The outage began around 10 AM IST, with reports flooding platforms such as Downdetector, highlighting the extent of the problem. Over 1,400 users raised complaints, with more than 98% citing issues directly related to ChatGPT, indicating widespread service disruption.
OpenAI, based in San Francisco, quickly acknowledged the outage through its status page. According to the company, they first noted the issue at 9:58 AM IST but indicated they were working on recovering services. By 10:14 PM IST, some improvements were reported, particularly for their API and Sora functionalities.
Users took to social media to confirm the issues they were experiencing, with many flocking to X (previously Twitter). One user amusingly observed, "I actually love Twitter because anytime I think it’s just me, I come here and find out everyone is thinking the exact same way. So I can confirm ChatGPT is down." Another joked, "Whenever ChatGPT is down, I hop on Twitter and search 'ChatGPT down,' and always see a flood of tweets confirming my experience. Twitter is goated fr." This pattern has become common, as netizens often use social media to validate their frustrations during widespread outages.
OpenAI's spokesperson later confirmed at midnight EST, "All systems are currently operational," after what appeared to be successful recovery efforts. The timing of the outage coincided with OpenAI's latest announcement about rolling out ChatGPT for educational purposes, reaching approximately 500,000 students and faculty at California State University, highlighting their efforts to expand their user base amid growing competition.
This incident follows another major outage late last December, attributed to problems with OpenAI's upstream provider, the company responsible for connecting local ISPs to the broader internet. While users remained hopeful for swift resolution, many relied heavily on ChatGPT for various applications, raising concerns about the reliability of such advanced AI tools.
According to data from Downdetector, as the outage persisted, users worldwide grappled with the loss of access to the platform, which has become integral for educational and professional purposes alike. With ChatGPT’s tools now commonly integrated within academic settings and businesses, the ripple effects of the outage echoed throughout these sectors.
OpenAI's commitment to investigating and rectifying such significant disruptions remains clear, but the incident provides greater insight not only to the challenges faced by tech companies but also to the rising demand and reliance on AI technologies. This event serves as a reminder to users and companies alike about the potential vulnerabilities associated with reliance on digital services.
While ChatGPT users were left waiting for service recovery, the growing pains of technology continue to shape the future of AI interaction for millions worldwide. OpenAI's ability to recover quickly will be pivotal for their reputation as they push to expand functionalities and user engagement through strategic partnerships and deployments.