OpenAI has begun testing a feature that lets new ChatGPT users sign up with only a phone number — no email required. The addition was spotted by software engineer Tibor Blaho.
The feature is currently in beta in the U.S. and India. There are, however, some restrictions.
Users who create an account using their number can’t upgrade to one of OpenAI’s paid plans, like ChatGPT Plus or ChatGPT Pro, without verifying their account via an email. Multi-factor authentication also isn’t supported without a valid email. And once a number has been used for a ChatGPT account, the number is blocked from creating new accounts.
“Recycled or reused phone numbers can lead to [an] error,” OpenAI explains in a new Q&A page on its website. “Currently, there is no workaround. You would need to contact support or wait until a future system update (targeted for 2025) that may address this issue.”
OpenAI says it has no plans to bring phone number-only sign-ups to other regions.
In pursuit of growth, OpenAI has been experimenting with lower-friction ways of getting its products, in particular ChatGPT, in front of people.
In December, OpenAI rolled out an experience that lets U.S.-based users chat with ChatGPT over the phone for free for 15 minutes a month. Around the same time, OpenAI brought ChatGPT to WhatsApp with bare-bones functionality, capped to a certain number of exchanges per day.
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ChatGPT has over 300 million weekly users. Collectively, they’re contributing billions toward the company’s coffers. Per CNBC, OpenAI reportedly expected revenue of $3.7 billion in 2024.
Yet the company is a long way off from profitability.
Despite having raised over $6.6 billion last year alone, OpenAI reportedly lost around $5 billion in fiscal year 2024, thanks to expenditures including office rent, staffing, and AI training infrastructure. The company is said to be considering increasing the price of its various subscription tiers — CEO Sam Altman recently said OpenAI is losing money on its priciest plan — and exploring usage-based pricing for certain services.
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