ChatGPT is the latest must-have in the tech and productivity spheres, but one month since OpenAI announced its subscription model, people still wonder, “should I pay for ChatGPT?”
Since OpenAI released ChatGPT for public trial in November 2022, it exploded in popularity, hitting 100 million users in January. At that time, OpenAI stated that Chat GPT was a free public trial, but questions remained about what would happen when the trial ended and when that would happen.
Those answers came in February, just three months after release. OpenAI announced ChatGPT Plus. Here’s what you need to know about the new paid version of OpenAI’s revolutionary language model:
- $20 Monthly subscription
- Access to new features
- Priority access
- Faster response speed
The world now knows where the project is heading, but this announcement left some users with even more questions, such as
- “What will happen to non-paying users? Can they still access ChatGPT?”
- “What are the new features?”
With over 100 million users accessing the ChatGPT for free, whether it would suddenly disappear behind a payment wall was on everyone’s minds. OpenAI responded that the free version of ChatGPT will continue to be “available when demand is low.”
OpenAI hasn’t indicated what new features might be in store for paying users, but The New York Times recently published an article saying that a new version, GPT4, is rumored to be released in 2023. Microsoft is reportedly integrating this new version of the chatbot into its software.
It has been a month since users could pay for ChatGPT Plus, so is it worth it?
Should You Pay for ChatGPT Plus?
I asked Michael Dinich, owner of the blogging group “Insiders” and many content-based websites, including Wealth of Geeks, which receives over a million monthly views, what he thought. “While tools like ChatGPT Plus may help you craft catchier headlines and better hooks, it’s crucial to remember that readers are most interested in unique, authentic content from experience.”
According to Mr. Dinich, chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT won’t replace writers any time soon, especially for new, unique content like news. But he acknowledges that there are real use cases, even for writers.
Spending $20 per month on the service is a personal choice, but knowing how ChatGPT can help you is the first step to making that decision.
What Can ChatGPT Do?
- Answer questions with detailed, unique responses.
- Write copy and articles for you on almost any given topic and in different styles (try “write a futurist scene in a mars base in the style of Shakespeare.”)
- Write basic code in many different programming languages.
- Brainstorm ideas. For example, ask it for monk mode or self-development ideas.
- Rewrite and revise text.
- Recommendations. Ask it what to do with your life.
- Create tweets with relevant hashtags.
- ChatGPT can remember what you said earlier in the conversation, up to 3000 words.
What Can’t It Do?
- ChatGPT has a word limit for its replies. There has yet to be an official word from OpenAI about this, but anecdotal evidence from users online suggests the cut-off point is about 500 words. Although if you ask ChatGPT if it has a word limit, this is the response, “I don’t have a strict word limit for my replies, but it’s generally a good practice to keep responses concise and to the point.”
- It can’t write about illegal or obscene topics.
- Original or genuinely creative ideas. Although responses may seem innovative, the language model is limited to rewriting ideas it already knows with the help of its algorithm. It won’t tell you the meaning of life.
- Events after 2021. OpenAI trained the model on data from 2021, so it isn’t aware of events after that, except for some important events that OpenAI has subsequently given.
- Highly technical information. The AI only knows the data fed into it, so it may not know about some specialized fields.
Three Signs You Should Pay for ChatGPT Plus
Does ChatGPT make you money?
The easiest decision to pay for ChatGPT is if it makes you money. If you use the language model to build an app or service for which you charge clients a fee, $20 per month is a tiny expense for your business. For example, The note-taking app Obsidian has many plugins, including one integrating ChatGPT into the software.
ChatGPT Is Cheaper than Hiring a Writer
Although Google isn’t a fan of AI-generated content, the purpose of written content isn’t only to please search engines. For example, a one-person start-up needing sales copy and email templates for their new product or business could save a lot of money using an AI instead of hiring someone. ChatGPT will be the cheapest employee you ever hire at twenty dollars per month.
You Need Instant or Reliable Access
One of the Perks listed by OpenAI for paying users is “availability even when demand is high.”
With the popularity of this AI’s services, guaranteed access, even when everyone else is using it, like during the work day, could be worth $20 to you, especially if you use ChatGPT for work. Nothing is worse than waiting for a computer to boot or a website to load. Similarly, you won’t want to wait for ChatGPT to respond.
Start with the Free Version
“AI can provide helpful insights and ideas but always remember that the best writing is a blend of art and science – while AI can be a powerful tool, it’s your unique voice and experience that will captivate readers.”
Michael’s words are a good reminder that whether you are a writer or not, ChatGPT won’t do everything for you. Like any tool, it can help you, but you still need to wield it.
If you haven’t already, try the free version of ChatGPT and see how much value it gives you, then decide if you should pay for it.
