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OpenAI’s ChatGPT unleashed an artificial intelligence (AI) movement when it rolled out last fall. Since then, the AI chatbot has dominated headlines and preoccupied the minds of those running Twitter, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta, inspiring them to create their own generative AI projects.
Also: ChatGPT answers more than half of software engineering questions incorrectly
Though ChatGPT only launched in November, it gained 100 million users by January, quickly becoming the fastest-growing ‘app’ of all time, surpassing TikTok — until Threads dethroned it in July. ChatGPT is so popular and high-performing that some wonder if the AI chatbot could replace programmers, writers, and even doctors, and other people are thinking about how it could revolutionize different industries.
How to use ChatGPT
Start by going to chat.openai.com and then use an email address or a Google or Microsoft account to sign up. You need to create an account on the OpenAI website to log in and access ChatGPT, but it is free.
Also: How does ChatGPT actually work?
If you’ve never created an account, click ‘Sign up’ and follow the prompts to enter your information. OpenAI does require a valid phone number for verification to create an account on its website.
If you haven’t created an account, click on ‘Sign up’. Otherwise, log in with your OpenAI credentials. Screenshot by Maria Diaz/ZDNET
Next, you’ll see a few disclaimers before you can chat with the AI chatbot. Read and accept them one by one to enter the chat.
The terms will come up in three stages, click Next on the first two and Done on the last one. Screenshot by Maria Diaz/ZDNET
Once you’ve logged in to your OpenAI account on the ChatGPT side of the website, it’s time to get to know the AI tool’s window. Here’s a breakdown of what you will see, with the image below as an example:
- New chat & hide sidebar buttons: On the left-hand side of your screen, you’ll see a button for ‘New chat’ that you can click on to start a fresh conversation at any time. This feature is useful because the ChatGPT model remembers what was previously discussed in a conversation and will respond with context, so starting a new chat will create a new discussion without context.
- Chat history: The left sidebar also keeps all your previous conversations accessible in case you need to go back to one, although there is the option for turning off chat history. Here you can edit the title of each chat, share your chat history with others, or delete it.
- Account: Clicking on your e-mail address or name on the bottom left of your screen will give you access to your account information, including settings, the option to log out, and help and FAQs from OpenAI. If you don’t have ChatGPT Plus, you’ll see an Upgrade to Plus button here.
- Your prompts: The questions or prompts you give the AI chatbot appear here.
- ChatGPT’s responses: Whenever ChatGPT responds to your queries, the logo will appear on the left. The Copy, Thumbs Up, and Thumbs Down buttons appear to the right of each response. You can copy the text to your clipboard to paste it elsewhere and provide feedback on whether the response was accurate. This process helps fine tune the AI tool.
- Regenerate response: If you have issues getting a response in the chat or don’t get a satisfactory answer, you can click on ‘Regenerate response’ to prompt ChatGPT to try again with a new reply for the latest prompt.
- Text area: In this section, you enter your prompts and questions; just hit enter to send them.
- ChatGPT version: OpenAI includes a bit of fine print below the text input area, where you can read the disclaimer that this is a “Free Research Preview. ChatGPT may produce inaccurate information about people, places, or facts”. This section also shows the version of the ChatGPT model you’re currently using.
The numbered areas are explained above. Screenshot by Maria Diaz/ZDNET
Now you know how to log in to and access ChatGPT, it’s time to get started. You can ask the language model any burning questions you might have and see what answers you get — the possibilities are, quite literally, endless. ChatGPT is a tool that can be applied in a huge range of projects, from software development to writing to translations, and so much more.
Also: 75% of businesses are implementing or considering bans on ChatGPT
Type in any ChatGPT prompts in the text bar at the bottom of the page and press enter to submit your questions. The AI chatbot will then generate text to provide helpful answers to your queries.
Start writing in the text box at the bottom of the page. Then, press enter to submit your prompt. Screenshot by Maria Diaz/ZDNET
ZDNET’s ChatGPT guides
ChatGPT is certainly not overrated; users can come up with creative ideas for anything from asking questions in search of funny answers to correcting a bug in code. Across all these areas, one thing is abundantly clear: what makes this AI tool remarkable isn’t how innovative it is but how great it is at generating text, and how accessible and easy it is to use.
Here are some of ZDNET’s guides on different ways to use ChatGPT:
How to use ChatGPT for school
How to use ChatGPT to write code
How to use ChatGPT for work
Useful ChatGPT tips
FAQs
What is the best way to use ChatGPT?
ChatGPT can generate responses to prompts (a feature that could eventually challenge search engines) that are enough to become an essential tool for content generation, from writing essays to summarizing a book for you.
The better the prompt, the better the response will be. Here are examples of prompts you could start with:
- How does a computer store and process information?
- Analyze this code and tell me how to fix it: [Paste the code]
- Write a poem about migraine in the style of Walt Whitman.
- What is the difference between a virus and a bacterium?
- Write a sick note for my child who is missing school.
- Write a song/poem about [insert topic here] — Try adding multiple details.
- Give it a list of ingredients from your pantry and ask it to write a recipe with them.
- Ask it to summarize ideas or concepts.
- Request a packing list for a three-day trip to the beach.
Your imagination is the limit. Have fun with different ChatGPT prompts. For example, ZDNET’s David Gewirtz asked the AI chatbot to write a WordPress plugin for him and used it to help him fix code faster. He also asked ChatGPT to write a Star Trek script, and started a business using the technology and other AI tools.
Also: AI can now crack your password by listening to your keyboard clicks
Others have used it to write malware. One professor has promoted the use of ChatGPT in his classroom, and countless other teachers are using it even more than their students. Here are a few other ideas you could try:
How can I use ChatGPT without a login?
There’s no way to use ChatGPT through OpenAI without logging in, and when you do create an account through the website, you must also provide an active phone number for confirmation.
Also: ChatGPT vs. Bing Chat vs. Google Bard: Which is the best AI chatbot?
If you’d rather access an AI chatbot without logging in to a website, you can use Bing Chat, which is not only free, but lets you use it without logging in, and it’s built with GPT-4, a larger and newer model than the one used in ChatGPT, also from OpenAI. You can log in to Bing with a Microsoft account for extended conversations.
HuggingChat is another AI chatbot that doesn’t require users to log in to access it, but it’s not as effective as ChatGPT and Bing Chat.
Can I use ChatGPT on my phone?
OpenAI launched an iOS app for ChatGPT, which you can find in the App Store if you have an iPhone and an Android app for ChatGPT.
Also: These are my 4 favorite AI chatbot apps for Android
If you don’t want to download an app, smartphone users can use the AI-based tool from their mobile browser on their device.
The steps to use OpenAI’s ChatGPT from your mobile browser are the same as above: go to chat.openai.com, log in, accept the terms, and start typing. The AI assistant will work just as it does when you access it from your computer.
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