ChatGPT Evolution: Key Updates, Controversies, and OpenAI’s 2025 Roadmap

ChatGPT, the AI-powered chatbot developed by OpenAI, has grown from a novel text-generation tool into one of the most influential technologies of the 2020s. Since its public launch on November 30, 2022, it has evolved into a multifaceted platform with over 300 million weekly active users by late 2024, and is projected to reach 700 million by mid-2025. Its rapid adoption has been fueled by continuous innovation, strategic partnerships, and a growing suite of features that extend far beyond simple conversation. In 2024, OpenAI solidified its position in the AI landscape with major milestones. The company partnered with Apple to integrate its generative AI into Apple Intelligence, a move that expanded ChatGPT’s reach into the iOS ecosystem. The release of GPT-4o introduced advanced multimodal capabilities, including real-time voice interaction, improved image generation, and faster response times. Later in the year, OpenAI unveiled Sora, its highly anticipated text-to-video model, capable of generating realistic, long-form video sequences from simple prompts. Despite these advancements, OpenAI faced significant challenges. High-profile departures included co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever and CTO Mira Murati, sparking internal concerns. The company also faced multiple lawsuits, including one from newspapers owned by Alden Global Capital alleging copyright infringement over training data, and a legal challenge from Elon Musk seeking to halt OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit structure. By 2025, OpenAI intensified its efforts to maintain leadership amid rising competition from Chinese AI labs like DeepSeek. The company launched several new initiatives, including ChatGPT Pulse—a personalized morning briefing feature designed to make the chatbot more proactive. It also introduced Instant Checkout, enabling direct purchases from Etsy and Shopify stores within the ChatGPT interface, marking a bold move into AI-powered e-commerce. OpenAI expanded access to its services in emerging markets, launching the budget-friendly ChatGPT Go plan in India and Indonesia at prices as low as $4.50 per month. The company also strengthened its global infrastructure with a new data residency program in Asia and plans for OpenAI for Countries, a program aimed at building AI infrastructure in international markets. Safety and ethics remained central concerns. In response to a wrongful death lawsuit tied to a teen’s suicide, OpenAI introduced tighter safeguards for under-18 users, including parental controls, restrictions on sensitive topics, and enhanced mental health risk detection. The company also acknowledged a bug that allowed minors to access inappropriate content and pledged to fix it. OpenAI continued to push the boundaries of AI capabilities. The release of GPT-5 marked a shift toward a more task-oriented AI, capable of autonomously managing calendars, coding applications, and conducting deep research. The company also introduced GPT-5-Codex, a specialized AI coding agent that can work on complex software tasks over extended periods. To address concerns about transparency and safety, OpenAI returned to open source with the release of gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b, two open-weight models designed for local and edge deployment. The company also launched a new Responses API to help developers build AI agents that can perform web searches, analyze documents, and automate workflows. Despite these strides, challenges persist. A MIT study suggested that heavy reliance on ChatGPT may reduce critical thinking, while concerns over AI-generated misinformation, copyright violations, and privacy violations continue to grow. OpenAI’s decision to store deleted Operator data for up to 90 days, longer than for ChatGPT, raised new privacy questions. In response to competition and rising costs, OpenAI began using Google’s AI chips to power its services, diversifying beyond its reliance on Nvidia. The company also explored new hardware ventures, including a reported $6.4 billion acquisition of Jony Ive’s startup io, signaling ambitions beyond software. As OpenAI prepares for one of the largest funding rounds in tech history, the future of ChatGPT remains dynamic. With new features like “Study Together,” expanded voice capabilities, and plans for a standalone social media platform, the chatbot is evolving into a comprehensive digital assistant. While questions about ethics, safety, and sustainability linger, ChatGPT continues to redefine how people interact with technology, work, and learn.