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ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence tool, was the “shot heard around the world” when its GPT3.5 model was released to the public on November 30, 2022. Created by OpenAI, a San Francisco-based research group launched in 2015 that counts Elon Musk and Sam Altman among its founders, ChatGPT was the first generative AI tool to come into wide use for the general public. (The term “generative” refers to the chatbot’s ability to create original text, images, and videos based on user prompts.)
People couldn’t decide whether ChatGPT was the best or worst thing that had ever happened to their industry. Students loved that they could generate entire papers in seconds; teachers hated it for the same reason. Doctors both loved and hated how competent it was at diagnosing illness based on symptoms and the patient profile. Many industries — including marketing — were excited that it could be used to automate mundane tasks, but were also worried that AI would replace their jobs.
Its “wow” factor, of course, was that you could enter prompts in normal, idiomatic full sentences and the bot would reply in equally normal-sounding full sentences. It marked the mainstreaming of AI technology, and for the first time the average person could see for themselves what the benefits and dangers of AI could be. In this article, I’ll examine what ChatGPT does, how it works, how it can be used, and how marketers can use it to their advantage.
What Is ChatGPT?
Let’s start with the GPT part. An acronym for Generative Pre-trained Transformer, you can think of GPT as a Google search engine on steroids. To break down the three components of the acronym:
Generative
It generates original content.
Pre-trained
It has been front-loaded with data and its algorithms are already poised to respond to your prompts without the users having to train it themselves.
Transformer
Not to be confused with the types of transformers used in electrical circuitry, “Transformer” in this context was introduced by Google in 2017. According to the company’s official literature, a Transformer is “a novel neural network architecture based on a self-attention mechanism that we believe to be particularly well-suited for language understanding.” In other words, it processes all the words in a sentence or text all at once instead of one at a time, allowing it to parse meaning more quickly and with greater accuracy than preceding technology allowed.
ChatGPT is a conversational AI model built by OpenAI, based on the GPT architecture. While GPT technology is not proprietary to OpenAI, ChatGPT is.
As described on OpenAI’s official site, ChatGPT “interacts in a conversational way. The dialogue format makes it possible for ChatGPT to answer follow-up questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests.”
The distinguishing characteristics of ChatGPT — what makes it revolutionary from the user’s POV — are its machine learning (ML) capabilities and its large language model attributes (LLM):
Machine learning
A way for computers to learn from data and make decisions or predictions without being explicitly programmed. It’s like teaching a computer to recognize patterns and improve over time, similar to how humans learn from experience.
Large language model
A type of machine learning system trained on vast amounts of text to understand and generate human-like language. It’s like a hyper-intelligent chatbot that can answer questions, write stories, or have conversations by predicting which words come next.
How Does ChatGPT Work?
ChatGPT is trained on vast datasets of text to predict and generate human-like responses. It processes user inputs, interprets context, and delivers relevant outputs. Fine-tuned for conversational tasks, it continuously improves through user interactions and updates, ensuring accuracy and adaptability across diverse applications.
But hey, why not go to the source itself? Here’s what happened when I asked ChatGPT to define itself and asked one follow-up question:
What Are the Benefits of ChatGPT?
ChatGPT offers numerous advantages, making it a go-to tool for various industries.
Enhanced Productivity
ChatGPT automates repetitive tasks like drafting emails, generating reports, or answering frequently asked questions (FAQs), freeing up time for strategic work. For marketers, this means more focus on campaign planning and audience targeting.
Cost Efficiency
By streamlining workflows, ChatGPT reduces the need for extensive human resources in tasks like content creation or customer support. Businesses can achieve high-quality outputs without significant investments in additional staff or tools.
Scalability
ChatGPT handles large volumes of queries or content generation, making it ideal for businesses scaling operations. Its versatility supports applications from small startups to global enterprises.
Considerations When Using ChatGPT
While powerful, ChatGPT has limitations and ethical considerations that users must address.
Accuracy and Verification
ChatGPT may occasionally produce inaccurate or biased outputs. Users should verify critical information, especially in professional settings, to ensure reliability.
Out-of-Date Material
ChatGPT does not have up-to-the-minute updates in real time. To find out what the current knowledge cutoff date is for the version you are using, simply type in, “What is your knowledge cutoff date” into the ChatGPT prompt. For example, I entered this prompt on April 28, 2025:
Data Privacy
When using ChatGPT, sensitive data shared in prompts may be stored or processed. Businesses should avoid inputting confidential information and review OpenAI’s privacy policies to understand data handling.
Ethical Use
Overreliance on AI-generated content can raise concerns about authenticity. Marketers, for instance, must balance AI use with human creativity to maintain brand integrity and avoid generic outputs.
What Can Users Do With ChatGPT?
ChatGPT’s versatility enables a wide range of applications for diverse users.
Content Creation
Users can generate blog posts, social media captions, or creative stories. ChatGPT tailors content to specific tones, styles, or audiences, simplifying the creative process.
Task Automation
From scheduling emails to coding simple scripts, ChatGPT automates routine tasks, boosting efficiency for professionals and hobbyists alike.
Learning and Research
Students and researchers use ChatGPT to summarize articles, explain complex concepts, or brainstorm ideas, making it a valuable educational tool.
How Are Marketers Using ChatGPT?
Marketers can harness ChatGPT to optimize their campaigns and engage audiences effectively. Here’s how:
Content Marketing
ChatGPT can enhance content marketing by automating content creation, optimizing strategy, and personalizing engagement.
- Content creation: This is the low-hanging fruit, and the aspect you’ve most likely already experimented with. ChatGPT can generate blog posts, social media content, and ad copy quickly. It can also create charts, data visualization, videos, graphics, and infographics.
- SEO: ChatGPT can optimize your content by identifying keywords and rewriting text for better rankings. It can also help you come up with SEO-friendly headers. You can refresh old content with ChatGPT-suggested improvements instead of always creating new material.
Social Media
ChatGPT can craft compelling captions, recommend trending hashtags, and even generate image or video content ideas that align with audience interests. It can also optimize the posts, depending on the venue.
Customer Support Automation
ChatGPT powers chatbots that handle customer inquiries, providing instant responses. This improves user experience while reducing support team workloads, enabling marketers to focus on strategy.
Landing Page Text
ChatGPT can be a powerful tool to help customize your landing pages for better conversions. You can use it to fine-tune existing pages or create multiple variations from the same content, helping you target different audiences more effectively.
How Much Does ChatGPT Cost?
ChatGPT offers Free, Premium, Pro, Team, and Enterprise plans:
Free
Gives you access to real-time data from the web with search, limited access to models GPT‑4o (as of this writing, the most sophisticated model), o4-mini (the “lite” or free version of GPT-4o), and deep research. Also gives limited access to file uploads, data analysis, image generation, and voice mode.
Premium
$20/month. Gives you access to all the features offered in the Free version but with greater access to research, uploads, etc. It also allows the user access to deep research and multiple reasoning models (o3, o4-mini, and o4-mini-high), as well as access to a research preview of GPT‑4.5, their largest model yet.
Pro
$200/month. Gives you access to all the Premium features, but with uncapped access; access to o1 pro mode, which uses more computing power to come up with the best answers to the hardest questions; extended access to deep research; and extended access to Sora video generation.
Team
$25-$30 per user/month. All the features in Pro, customized to your team’s workflow. Protects your data with multi-factor authentication, data encryption, and data excluded from training by default.
Enterprise
Custom-built, pricing on a per-case basis.
Latest ChatGPT Updates
OpenAI regularly enhances ChatGPT to improve functionality and user experience. To discover the latest information about updates, go to the official OpenAI site page that provides model release notes.
New and Smarter Models
OpenAI recently launched new versions of ChatGPT (like GPT-4.1 and GPT-4o) that are better at understanding questions, thinking through answers, and giving more detailed and accurate responses.
Better Voice Conversations
ChatGPT’s voice mode is now more natural and expressive, making conversations sound smoother and more lifelike. Some of the newest voice features are rolling out slowly, so they might not be available everywhere yet.
Easier Connections to Other Apps
OpenAI is making it easier to connect ChatGPT to other tools, like marketing software, customer service apps, and work platforms. This helps businesses use ChatGPT to save time and get more done.
Key Takeaways
ChatGPT is a versatile AI tool that enhances productivity, automates tasks, and supports creative and marketing efforts. While it offers significant benefits, like cost efficiency and scalability, users must consider accuracy, privacy, and ethical use. Marketers, in particular, can leverage ChatGPT for content creation, audience targeting, and automation, especially when paired with performance-focused AI ad platforms that optimize in real time. Staying updated on OpenAI’s advancements ensures users maximize ChatGPT’s potential.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who created ChatGPT?
ChatGPT was created by OpenAI, a research organization co-founded by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and others in 2015, focused on advancing AI technologies.
What are the ethical concerns associated with ChatGPT?
Ethical concerns include potential biases in outputs, overreliance on AI for creative tasks, and the risk of misinformation. Users should verify outputs and use ChatGPT responsibly to maintain authenticity.
Is ChatGPT free?
ChatGPT offers a free tier with limited features. Premium plans, like ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, and Enterprise, provide enhanced capabilities for a subscription fee. Find out more on OpenAI’s website.
What is voice mode vs. advanced voice mode?
Voice mode allows users to interact with ChatGPT via voice commands, enabling hands-free conversations. Advanced voice mode, available on select platforms, offers more natural speech, expressive tones, and faster response times, enhancing the conversational experience.
