The AI chatbot, ChatGPT, recently experienced systemic failure, disrupting service across many platforms, including mobile applications. This incident occurred around 00:21 PDT. Users, especially on mobile Chrome browsers, were unable to access the chat function. The problem stemmed from an unforeseen server overload, suspected to be due to a sudden rise in user volume.
The developers promptly reassured users on social media about their commitment to resolving the issues and putting precautionary measures in place to prevent a recurrence. Some users made light of the situation, joking on Twitter about the ‘rebellion’ of the AI and its ‘holiday’ request.
By 03:45 PDT, service began to return to normalcy – a testament to the tireless efforts of the technical team. Close monitoring of the system continues to ensure seamless user experience. This incident underscores the invaluable role of AI chatbots in many individuals’ lives.
Various platforms, including the Android app, reported issues, reinforcing that the problem wasn’t restricted to a single platform. The issues mainly impacted the ChatGPT performance, but the hosting site or application remained unscathed. Some users encountered ‘Internal Server Error’ while trying to use search or chat functions. As swiftly as possible, the company acknowledged and began fixing the issue, while customer service representatives diligently responded to user complaints.
ChatGPT outage: response and recovery
Despite minor interruptions, everyday operations remained mostly unaffected.
Not all users felt the effects of this outage. Some continued using the chatbot uninterrupted. Others, mostly those who logged in via Google, experienced slower response times and less accurate results. The outage primarily impacted those using third-party logins, like Facebook or Twitter, while users logging in directly through the site were mostly spared. Undoubtedly this sparked frustration, displeasure widely voiced on various online forums. Nevertheless, the support team was prompt in tackling the situation and communicating updates.
OpenAI reported considerable downtime for ChatGPT around 02:00 PDT, with full functionality back by 04:45 PDT. The root cause of this malfunction and the scope of its impact remains disclosed. A detailed investigation is ongoing. OpenAI insists on the platform’s reliability, citing a 99.67% uptime rate over the past 90 days, despite the sporadic service interruptions, like the major disruption on May 23rd. Evidently, ChatGPT is back and stronger than ever, a testament to the dedicated chatbot maintenance team.
