ChatGPT: The All-Rounder from OpenAI
iAs of: September 2026
Information about models, prices, and user numbers reflects the state as of September 2026. The AI market evolves rapidly — some details may have already changed.
Wissen
What Is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot by OpenAI that was released in November 2022 and took the world by storm. The name stands for "Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer" -- a pre-trained language model specialized for conversations.
The current top model is GPT-5.6 (released July 9, 2026, in the Sol, Terra, and Luna variants).
ChatGPT can:
- Answer questions on almost any topic
- Write, summarize, and translate texts
- Program and explain code
- Generate images (with DALL-E)
- Analyze documents and images
- Research on the internet (with the browsing feature)
Key Capabilities of ChatGPT
Hover or clickTap a capability for details and an example prompt
iFacts and Figures
ChatGPT has over 900 million weekly active users worldwide (as of February 2026, TechCrunch). This makes it by far the most widely used AI application in the world. OpenAI generates roughly 25 billion USD in annualized revenue from this.
Strengths of ChatGPT
Versatility: ChatGPT is a true all-rounder. From homework help to travel planning to code generation -- there is hardly a task where ChatGPT cannot help.
Large ecosystem: OpenAI offers a wide range of additional features: image generation with DALL-E, internet browsing, data analysis, and a GPT Store with specialized mini-apps for specific tasks.
Plugins and GPTs: In the GPT Store, you can find thousands of specialized versions of ChatGPT for specific tasks -- from resume helpers to cooking assistants to language tutors.
Multimodality: ChatGPT can not only process text but also analyze images, understand speech, and generate images -- all in one interface.
Weaknesses of ChatGPT
Hallucinations: ChatGPT sometimes makes up facts and presents them convincingly. It can cite studies that do not exist or misrepresent historical events. Always verify important information.
Privacy concerns: Your conversations are used by default to train future models (this can be disabled in settings). Do not share sensitive personal data or company secrets.
Timeliness: Although ChatGPT can now browse the internet, its core knowledge comes from training data with a specific cutoff date. It may not know about very recent events.
!Caution: Hallucinations
Never blindly trust ChatGPT with facts, quotes, or source references. AI models sometimes generate plausible-sounding but completely fabricated information. Particular caution is needed for medical, legal, or financial topics.
Pricing Model: Free vs. Plus
| ChatGPT Free | ChatGPT Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 0 USD/month | ~20 USD/month |
| Model | GPT-5 mini | GPT-5.6 |
| Messages | Limited | Significantly more |
| Image generation | Limited | Unlimited |
| Internet browsing | Yes | Yes |
| File analysis | Limited | Yes |
| GPT Store | Limited | Full access |
Verstehen
Think of ChatGPT as an extremely well-read conversation partner who has read billions of texts and can formulate answers based on them. Its greatest strength -- versatility -- is also its greatest challenge: because ChatGPT tries to give an answer to everything, it sometimes makes up information instead of admitting it does not know something.
For most beginners, the free version is perfectly sufficient. The Plus subscription is worthwhile if you use ChatGPT intensively every day and need access to the most powerful model.
What is a 'hallucination' in ChatGPT?
Anwenden
How to Use ChatGPT: Step by Step
Getting started could not be simpler:
Step 1: Go to chat.openai.com or download the ChatGPT app (iOS, Android, Desktop).
Step 2: Create a free account with your email address or sign in with your Google or Apple account.
Step 3: Type your question or instruction into the text field. For example: "Explain photosynthesis to me in simple terms."
Step 4: Read the response and ask follow-up questions if you want to know more. ChatGPT remembers the context of the conversation.
Step 5: Start a new chat for a new topic -- this gives the model a fresh context.
*Pro Tip
The clearer and more specific your question is, the better the answer will be. Instead of "Tell me about dogs," try: "Explain the five most popular dog breeds in Germany and their characteristics for families with small children."
Reflect
ChatGPT is the world's best-known AI chatbot and for many people the gateway to Artificial Intelligence. Its greatest strength is versatility -- its greatest weakness is unreliability with facts. In the next section, you will learn about Claude, an AI chatbot with a different focus: precision and safety.