OpenAI Temporarily Halts New ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions

San Francisco, CA — OpenAI, has announced a temporary pause on new subscriptions for its ChatGPT Plus program.

This decision was announced by CEO Sam Altman via a post on X

Surge in demand following DevDay conference

The move to suspend new sign-ups comes in the wake of OpenAI’s recent DevDay conference, where the company unveiled new features for ChatGPT:

• GPT-4V and Whisper APIs
• GPT-4 Turbo that supports 128K tokens
• New chat interface that auto-selects appropriate tools (Browsing, Dall-E, and Data Analysis)
• GPTs

The sheer volume of subscriptions post-conference has pushed the company to reassess its capacity and infrastructure​​.

A week of challenges

The past week has been turbulent for OpenAI.

The influx of users and heightened interest led to service outages and DDoS attacks, highlighting the pressing need for robust infrastructure to support the rising demand.

These incidents have been pivotal in the decision to pause new subscriptions, as OpenAI aims to ensure a seamless and high-quality user experience.

Impact on users: Current and future

For existing ChatGPT Plus subscribers, the service will continue without interruption, ensuring that your ongoing projects and activities remain unaffected.

However, prospective users looking to leverage the platform’s capabilities will face a waiting period until OpenAI reopens subscriptions.

What happens if your subscription doesn’t renew?

Honestly, I don’t have an answer to this. I asked on Twitter, and everyone seems to believe that you should be able to upgrade with no issues.

I however think that you will be seen as a new user, and you won’t be able to upgrade, just like the rest of non-Plus users.

What do you think?