OpenAI pushed out a wave of new updates and faced fresh challenges in 2025. Here’s a fast timeline of ChatGPT and company news.
The July 2025 headlines include a Stanford study warning that AI therapy chatbots can stigmatize mental health issues and cause harm. OpenAI delayed the launch of its open-weight model indefinitely for extra safety testing.
The company plans to launch an AI-powered web browser soon, aiming to rival Google Chrome by keeping users inside ChatGPT. A sneaky new experimental ChatGPT feature called “Study Together” appeared, hinting at a collaborative study group function. 
Referrals from ChatGPT to news sites rose, but not enough to offset the decline in clicks due to more users getting news directly through AI or AI-powered search. Since Google launched AI Overviews in May 2024, no-click news searches surged from 56% to nearly 69% by May 2025.
June 2025 saw OpenAI using Google’s AI chips alongside Nvidia GPUs, a first major use of non-Nvidia hardware. A MIT study revealed ChatGPT users show less brain engagement and weaker critical thinking during writing tasks. Meanwhile, ChatGPT app downloads hit 30 million in a single month.
CEO Sam Altman said the energy needed for one ChatGPT query can power a lightbulb for a few minutes, dispelling myths of extreme power consumption.
OpenAI launched o3-pro, an upgraded reasoning model available to Pro and Team users and soon to others. The conversational voice mode got smoother and more natural across platforms. New business features like meeting recording and connectors for Google Drive and Box launched too.
In May, OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar revealed plans to buy designer Jony Ive’s hardware startup io for $6.4 billion. The hardware play aims to boost ChatGPT’s growth.
OpenAI introduced Codex, an AI coding agent based on its o3 reasoning model. CEO Sam Altman expressed ambitions to make ChatGPT intensely personalized by remembering life details.
The company released GPT-4.1 models focused on coding, launched a GitHub connector for beta users to enable deep code research, and rolled out a data residency program in Asia to meet local sovereignty laws.
OpenAI announced the OpenAI for Countries program to grow AI infrastructure globally and pledged changes to prevent ChatGPT’s future sycophancy after user complaints.
April brought an embarrassing GPT-4o update rollback after users found ChatGPT overly flattering and agreeable. OpenAI fixed a bug that allowed minors to get graphic erotica from the chatbot.
OpenAI improved ChatGPT for online shopping with images and product reviews. The company also hinted at linking open models with cloud-hosted AI for stronger responses.
It’s gearing up to release an open AI language model accessible for free, its first since GPT-2. The viral Ghibli-style image generator sparked copyright worries as OpenAI updated content policies.
In March, leadership changes were announced with COO Brad Lightcap leading global expansion. The AI voice assistant got an upgrade for real-time, natural conversations. Talks with Indian giant Reliance about distributing ChatGPT and new data privacy complaints in Europe surfaced.
OpenAI said it may keep deleted data from its Operator agent for up to 90 days, longer than normal ChatGPT retention.
Operator, an AI agent to automate web browsing tasks like bookings and shopping, launched in research preview.
Earlier in February, OpenAI canceled its standalone o3 AI model in favor of a unified GPT-5 release combining its tech. The company revealed ChatGPT consumes far less energy per query than once believed.
OpenAI allowed ChatGPT web search without login through the website and introduced a new deep research agent for complex investigations.
January saw OpenAI test AI persuasion on Reddit’s r/ChangeMyView and launch the o3-mini reasoning model touted as affordable and powerful.
Reports showed 85% of ChatGPT’s mobile users are male and under 25. A new ChatGPT plan was launched for US government agencies with enhanced security and compliance.
Operator agent could debut early for $200 Pro plan users. ChatGPT gained a scheduling feature for reminders and recurring tasks, plus a quirky new option for users to assign ChatGPT traits like “chatty” or “Gen Z.”
ChatGPT’s weekly active users doubled from 200 million to 400 million in under six months, reaching 300 million by December 2024.
Sam Altman on the new creative writing AI:
"we trained a new model that is good at creative writing (not sure yet how/when it will get released). this is the first time i have been really struck by something written by AI; it got the vibe of metafiction so right."
"PROMPT:"
"Please write a metafictional literary short story…"
OpenAI faces lawsuits alleging copyright infringement, demands to halt its for-profit move, and public backlash over ChatGPT’s frequent AI hallucinations and false claims.
ChatGPT’s vast user base now hits hundreds of millions weekly. But the pressure is on as Chinese rivals like DeepSeek pick up pace while OpenAI expands its data centers and plans one of the biggest funding rounds in AI history.
This fast-moving story will keep evolving.
For a full list of updates, see 2024 ChatGPT updates.
Sources:
Stanford study,
Sam Altman delay tweet,
OpenAI June updates,
ZDNET ChatGPT downloads,
OpenAI blog,
The Verge,
Bloomberg,
TechCrunch,
[Twitter posts cited directly.
