OpenAI’s ChatGPT Suffers Global Outage, India And US Most Affected.
ChatGPT Faces Global Outage, Frustrates Users in India and U.S.
OpenAI’s popular chatbot, ChatGPT, went offline on Tuesday, disrupting services for thousands of users worldwide, with significant complaints reported in India and the United States.
Widespread Disruption Hits ChatGPT
On Tuesday, OpenAI’s ChatGPT experienced a major global outage, leaving users unable to access the AI chatbot’s services. The disruption, which peaked around 2:45 PM IST, affected hundreds of users, with over 500 reports logged in India alone, according to outage tracking platform Downdetector. In the United States, more than 900 users reported similar issues shortly after.
The outage impacted not only ChatGPT’s core functionality but also its mobile app and API services, frustrating users who rely on the tool for work, education, and personal tasks.
Breakdown of Issues
India and U.S. Bear the Brunt
In India, 88 percent of user complaints centered on ChatGPT’s failure to respond to prompts, while eight percent were related to the mobile app, and three percent involved API integration issues. In the U.S., 93 percent of reported problems were linked to the chatbot’s core functionality, with seven percent tied to the app and one percent to login difficulties.
Users encountered error messages such as “Hmm…something seems to have gone wrong” and “A network error occurred. Please check your connection and try again,” adding to the frustration for those dependent on the service.
User Reactions on Social Media
Frustration and Humor Surface Online
The outage sparked a wave of reactions on social media, with users expressing both frustration and humor. One user, @pathray_ri77258, posted on X: “When ChatGPT is so overworked it can’t even finish your message… Today, many users (myself included) are facing errors in the message stream. Is OpenAI having a burnout day?”
Another user, @pbaraka, shared a more emotional perspective: “ChatGPT is DOWN; It’s been my therapist, my confidant, my lifeline to sanity. Losing it feels like a glitch in my soul — scary and sad that it has become my only friend?”
A third user lightened the mood, writing: “ChatGPT is down, which means I actually have to type out my own emails at work. Send prayers.”
These posts highlight ChatGPT’s deep integration into users’ daily lives, from professional tasks to personal support.
OpenAI’s Response
Investigation Underway, No Timeline for Fix
OpenAI acknowledged the issue on its official status page, confirming elevated error rates and latency across ChatGPT, its APIs, and Sora. The company stated: “Some users are experiencing elevated error rates and latency across the listed services (APIs, ChatGPT, and Sora). We are continuing to investigate this issue.”
No official statement has been released regarding the cause of the outage, and OpenAI has not provided a timeline for restoring full functionality. Users are advised to monitor the company’s status page for real-time updates.
Why It Matters
ChatGPT’s Growing Role
ChatGPT has become a vital tool for millions worldwide, supporting tasks ranging from drafting emails to academic research and creative writing. The outage underscores the growing reliance on AI tools and the challenges tech companies face in maintaining uninterrupted service for a global user base.
As OpenAI continues to investigate, the incident serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in scaling AI infrastructure to meet surging demand.
