On Tuesday, June 4th, 2024, ChatGPT, the popular AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, experienced a widespread outage affecting users worldwide. The outage was first reported around 2:30 AM ET, with users unable to access the service through the web version, mobile app, or the new Mac app.
Key Takeaways:
- ChatGPT, OpenAI’s AI chatbot, suffered a global outage on June 4th, 2024.
- Users reported issues accessing the service across web, mobile, and desktop apps.
- OpenAI acknowledged the problem, stating they are “currently investigating the issue.”
- The cause of the outage remains unknown, but a previous incident was attributed to a DDoS attack.
- Alternatives like Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot saw increased interest during the downtime.
(A laptop with an OpenAI logo connected to a camera on a tripod in the background is a screen with a robot photo)
OpenAI Acknowledges the Issue
OpenAI’s status page initially stated, “ChatGPT is unavailable for some users,” indicating that the company was aware of the problem and investigating the cause. However, as reports of the outage continued to surge, it became clear that the issue was more widespread than initially thought.
Worldwide Impact and User Reactions
The outage appears to have affected users across multiple countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, New Zealand, and many others. On social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), users expressed their frustration and shared memes about the ChatGPT outage.
Some users even admitted to having forgotten how to perform certain tasks without the assistance of ChatGPT, highlighting the growing reliance on AI chatbots in both professional and personal settings.
Potential Causes and Previous Incidents
While the exact cause of the outage remains unknown, OpenAI has previously attributed similar incidents to “abnormal traffic patterns reflective of a DDoS attack.” In November 2023, ChatGPT experienced two outages over the course of two days, suggesting that the service may be facing scalability challenges as it continues to grow rapidly.
Increased Interest in Alternatives
During the downtime, users turned to alternative AI chatbots and language models, such as Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot. Some even speculated about signing up for Claude 3, another AI assistant, to fill the void left by ChatGPT’s absence.
As of the time of writing, OpenAI has not provided any further updates on the cause of the outage or an estimated time for resolution. However, the incident has highlighted the growing dependence on AI chatbots and the potential disruptions that can occur when these services experience downtime.
