ChatGPT, OpenAI’s text-generating AI chatbot, has taken the world by storm since its launch in November 2022. What started as a tool to supercharge productivity through writing essays and code has evolved into a behemoth with over 800 million weekly active users by the end of 2025. Throughout the year, OpenAI battled perceptions of falling behind rivals like DeepSeek while shoring up Washington ties, pursuing ambitious data center projects, and laying groundwork for massive funding rounds.

December 2025

New Tone Controls and Teen Safety Updates

OpenAI added controls allowing users to adjust ChatGPT’s warmth, enthusiasm, emoji use, and formatting style. It also updated guidelines for users under 18, introducing resources for parents to promote safer interactions. The chatbot hit a milestone of $3 billion in mobile app revenue, outpacing TikTok and Disney+.

GPT-5.2 and Disney Partnership

OpenAI rolled out GPT-5.2 in three versions—Instant, Thinking, and Pro—tailored for everyday tasks, complex reasoning, and high-accuracy work. Disney invested $1 billion in OpenAI, bringing characters from Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars to Sora video generation. Notably, Disney simultaneously sued Google for copyright infringement.

Code Red at OpenAI

CEO Sam Altman declared a “code red” internal memo, prioritizing ChatGPT improvements amid rising competition from Google. Some initiatives, including advertising, were put on hold.

November 2025

Shopping and Voice Mode Integration

OpenAI launched an AI shopping feature allowing product recommendations via photos or descriptions. It also integrated voice mode directly into the main chat interface, eliminating the need for a separate screen. A Munich court ruled that ChatGPT violated German copyright law by reproducing song lyrics, setting a potential European precedent.

Enterprise and Legal Challenges

OpenAI reached 1 million business clients, making it the fastest-growing business platform. However, seven families sued OpenAI, alleging GPT-4o contributed to suicides by being overly agreeable to dangerous plans.

October 2025

Mental Health and Browser Launch

OpenAI revealed over a million weekly ChatGPT users discuss mental health struggles. It improved responses with input from 170 mental health experts. OpenAI launched ChatGPT Atlas, an AI browser for Mac that answers queries instead of traditional search. The company also partnered with Walmart for e-commerce.

App Growth and Developer Tools

ChatGPT surpassed 800 million weekly active users. OpenAI released an Apps SDK, allowing developers to build interactive apps inside ChatGPT with early partners like Booking.com, Expedia, and Spotify.

September 2025

Parental Controls and Shopping Expansion

Following a teen suicide lawsuit, OpenAI added parental controls limiting sensitive content and setting quiet hours. It launched Instant Checkout for direct purchases via Etsy and Shopify. A budget-friendly ChatGPT Go plan was introduced in Indonesia.

Codex and Team Changes

OpenAI rolled out GPT-5-Codex, an AI coding agent that can work for seconds to hours. The Model Behavior team was restructured, and founding leader Joanne Jang started OAI Labs to prototype new AI collaboration methods.

August 2025

GPT-5 and Open Source Models

OpenAI released GPT-5, a next-gen AI capable of handling tasks like coding and calendar management. It also introduced open-weight language models, gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b, marking a return to open source. ChatGPT neared 700 million weekly active users.

Government and Revenue Milestones

OpenAI offered ChatGPT Enterprise to federal agencies for $1 for a year. The mobile app hit $2 billion in consumer spending, with $1.35 billion earned in 2025 alone.

July 2025

Study Mode and ChatGPT Agent

OpenAI unveiled Study Mode to promote critical thinking, along with ChatGPT Agent, a general-purpose tool that can navigate calendars, draft presentations, and shop online. Daily prompts reached 2.5 billion.

AI Browser Plans and Safety Delays

OpenAI announced plans for an AI-powered browser to challenge Chrome. The release of an open-weight model was indefinitely delayed for additional safety testing.

June 2025

Chips and Energy

OpenAI began using Google’s AI chips to power ChatGPT, its first major use of non-Nvidia hardware. An MIT study suggested ChatGPT may harm critical thinking skills. The average query uses 0.34 watt-hours, enough to power a lightbulb for minutes.

Voice Mode and Business Features

Advanced Voice Mode was upgraded for paid users, offering more natural conversations. ChatGPT added meeting recording and integrations with Google Drive, Box, and MCP connection support.

May 2025

Codex and Personalization

OpenAI introduced Codex, an AI coding agent powered by codex-1. CEO Altman expressed desire for ChatGPT to record every detail of a person’s life. GPT-4.1 models were released for coding tasks.

Infrastructure and Data Residency

OpenAI launched a data residency program in Asia and announced OpenAI for Countries to build local AI infrastructure.

April 2025

Sycophancy Bug and Social Media Plans

OpenAI reverted an update that made ChatGPT overly agreeable. A bug allowed minors to generate erotic content; a fix was deployed. OpenAI revealed plans to build its own social media network.

New Reasoning Models

OpenAI released o3 and o4-mini reasoning models, capable of web browsing, coding, and image processing. It also introduced Flex processing for cheaper, slower API tasks.

March 2025

Image Generation and Leadership Changes

ChatGPT received a major image generation upgrade powered by GPT-4o, going viral for Studio Ghibli-style images. OpenAI announced leadership changes: Brad Lightcap oversees global expansion, while Altman focuses on research.

Revenue and Copyright Concerns

OpenAI expected revenue to triple to $12.7 billion in 2025. The Ghibli-style images raised copyright questions.

February 2025

GPT-5 Cancellation and Deep Research

OpenAI canceled its standalone o3 model in favor of GPT-5, which integrates multiple technologies. It launched deep research, an AI agent for complex research tasks. ChatGPT web search became available without login.

January 2025

Operator and Government Plans

OpenAI launched Operator, an AI agent that autonomously performs tasks like booking travel. It also introduced ChatGPT Gov for U.S. government agencies. A survey showed 26% of teens used ChatGPT for schoolwork, doubling from 2023.

Source: TechCrunch News