Hong Kong – Here's everything you need to know about ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a natural language processing (NLP) model developed by OpenAI. It's designed to understand and generate text in a human-like manner based on your prompts.

Hong Kong – Here's everything you need to know about ChatGPT
Source: Pexels/Airam Dato-on

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is a natural language processing (NLP) model developed by OpenAI. It's designed to understand and generate text in a human-like manner based on your prompts. This tool handles various language tasks, like answering questions, creating content (from essays to travel guides), summarizing information, assisting with customer support, explaining concepts and engaging in conversations. Its adaptability makes it a valuable asset for chatbots, virtual assistants, content creation, language translation and more.

One notable feature of ChatGPT is its ability to generate contextually relevant responses. This adaptability allows users to customize the software for specific fields and industries, tailoring it to meet their unique needs.

ChatGPT in Hong Kong

Getting ChatGPT in Hong Kong is a bit tricky. Currently, ChatGPT is unavailable in Hong Kong through OpenAI, and one of the best ways to access it is through a VPN. Another method is by accessing ChatGPT through Microsoft's Azure cloud computing platform. Once you have an account, you should be able to access it directly.

You can also try Poe, the newest alternative to Quora's ChatGPT in Hong Kong. Available on iOS and Android, Poe ensures instant responses and lively conversations on the go. With AI-powered bots, it caters to diverse needs, from seeking information to casual banter. Poe simplifies your experience with its easy-to-use interface.

The Hong Kong government has mentioned plans to create its own version of ChatGPT so it doesn’t fall behind from a tech and innovation standpoint, but the details and timelines of this are still up in the air. ChatGPT is also available to students and staff directly through some universities, like The University of Hong Kong and Lingnan University.

What company started ChatGPT?

ChatGPT Hong Kong
FILE PHOTO: OpenAI and ChatGPT logos are seen in this illustration taken February 3, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

OpenAI is the driving force behind ChatGPT and other advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Founded in December 2015, OpenAI's core mission revolves around ensuring that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. One notable aspect of OpenAI is its commitment to transparency and collaboration within the AI community. The company actively shares research and resources with the AI community in an open-source spirit. Through this approach, it's released AI models and tools for public use, promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing.

How much is OpenAI valued at?

ChatGPT Hong Kong
Source: Pexels/Andrew Neel

In April, TechCrunch reported that OpenAI successfully raised over US$300 million in a share sale, placing the company's valuation somewhere between US$27 billion and US$29 billion.

Who's the CEO of OpenAI?

ChatGPT Hong Kong
Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, arrives for a bipartisan Artificial Intelligence (AI) Insight Forum for all U.S. senators hosted by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 13, 2023. REUTERS/Craig Hudson

Sam Altman currently serves as OpenAI's CEO, with a reported net worth estimated between US$500 million and US$700 million. He's been in this role since March 2019, leading OpenAI's mission to advance AI research responsibly. OpenAI is known for pioneering AI research and creating models like ChatGPT.

How does ChatGPT make money?

ChatGPT Hong Kong
Source: Pexels/Shantanu Kumar

The fascination surrounding ChatGPT is gaining incredible momentum, with OpenAI, the brains behind this generative AI tech, reportedly on the path to generating over US$1 billion in revenue. According to a report from The Information, this milestone could be achieved within the next 12 months, exceeding OpenAI's own revenue projections. The company declined to comment on the report.

The numbers, though, paint a vivid picture. Current calculations indicate that OpenAI is pulling in over US$80 million in monthly revenues, a leap from the US$28 million they made last year when they started charging companies to use its chatbot.

Initial company forecasts had set the revenue bar at US$200 million for this year and it wasn't expecting to hit the US$1 billion mark until 2024. OpenAI's revenue streams flow from two sources: technology licensing to corporate clients and individual subscriptions. As of March this year, an estimated 1-2 million subscribers were paying US$20 per month for access to the latest chatbot model.

When did ChatGPT launch?

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A response by ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, is seen on its website in this illustration picture taken February 9, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo

In January 2023, OpenAI introduced ChatGPT in a research preview. Users were encouraged to try it out and offer feedback during this phase. This launch allowed developers and users to explore ChatGPT's capabilities firsthand. Keep in mind that its availability and features have likely evolved since then.

How many users does ChatGPT have?

  1. ChatGPT currently serves a user base of over 100 million.
  2. About 12.31% of ChatGPT's user base resides in the US.
  3. The user demographic leans towards 59.67% males and 40.33% females.
  4. ChatGPT has surpassed 9 billion page visits to date.
  5. Projections indicate ChatGPT's revenue will reach US$200 million by the end of 2023.

What can ChatGPT be used for?

ChatGPT Hong Kong
Artificial Intelligence words are seen in this illustration taken March 31, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

Lots of things! ChatGPT can be used for a wide range of applications and tasks because of its natural language processing capabilities. Here are some common use cases for ChatGPT that are listed in no particular order:

1. Conversational AI:

ChatGPT can handle chatbots and virtual assistants, making it great for automating customer support, engaging with website visitors or providing info in a chat-like way. For instance, if a customer inquires about tracking an order, ChatGPT can swiftly retrieve the order status from the company's database and offer a real-time update.

2. Content generation:

Need words? ChatGPT excels at generating written content quickly, making it valuable for different purposes:

  • Blog posts: ChatGPT can create engaging blog posts on a multitude of topics.
  • Blog post outlines and topic suggestions: If you prefer to write the content yourself, ChatGPT can suggest topics in a specific field and offer a structured outline.
  • Social media: It crafts attention-grabbing social media posts for product promotion.

3. Answering questions:

ChatGPT can provide answers to factual questions, proving useful for information retrieval and knowledge-based tasks.

4. Language translation:

It's handy for translating text between languages, facilitating global communication and language learning.

5. Summarizing text:

ChatGPT can summarize lengthy articles or documents, condensing information into easily digestible formats.

6. Programming help:

Developers can use ChatGPT for code snippets, explanations and debugging assistance.

7. Writing support:

ChatGPT assists writers with ideas, suggestions and overall content quality improvement.

8. Educational tools:

It can be integrated into educational platforms for explanations, student queries and learning support.

9. Creativity and storytelling:

ChatGPT can generate creative content, stories and even assist in scriptwriting for various media.

10. Brainstorming:

It's a valuable tool for generating ideas for projects, marketing campaigns, or business strategies.

11. Natural language understanding:

ChatGPT analyzes and comprehends text data, making it useful for sentiment analysis, content categorization and more.

12. Simulations and role-playing:

Developers can leverage ChatGPT to create interactive simulations and role-playing experiences.

13. Prototyping conversational apps:

Developers can swiftly prototype and test conversational interfaces and applications using ChatGPT.

How much does ChatGPT cost?

OpenAI has a subscription called "ChatGPT Plus," and it's priced at US$20 per month. With this subscription, you get uninterrupted access, even during busy times when the free version might be crowded. It also means faster response times.

On top of this, ChatGPT Plus subscribers get early access to new features and improvements, including the latest GPT-4, which is already available to them. Plus, when ChatGPT plugins are introduced, Plus subscribers will be among the first to use them.

How to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus

Wondering how to get ChatGPT Plus? Here are the general steps to subscribe:

ChatGPT Hong Kong
Source: Screenshot/OpenAI.com
  1. Visit OpenAI's website – Start by going to OpenAI's official website at https://www.openai.com/.
  2. Sign in or create an account – If you already have an OpenAI account, sign in. If not, you'll need to create a new account.
  3. Navigate to ChatGPT – Once you're logged in, find your way to the ChatGPT section or the specific service offering ChatGPT Plus.
  4. Select the subscription plan – Look for the subscription options, which should include ChatGPT Plus if it's available. Click on the ChatGPT Plus plan.
  5. Provide payment information – Typically, you'll need to provide your payment information, including your credit card details. Make sure everything is accurate and up-to-date.
  6. Review the terms and conditions – Take a good look at the terms and conditions of the subscription, including pricing, how often you'll be billed and any cancellation policies.
  7. Confirm and subscribe – After you've reviewed everything and are good to go, confirm your subscription. This usually means hitting a "Subscribe" or "Confirm" button.
  8. Receive confirmation – You should receive a confirmation message or email letting you know that your ChatGPT Plus subscription is all set.
  9. Access the service – With your subscription confirmed, you're all set to enjoy ChatGPT Plus, with benefits like uninterrupted access, faster response times and priority access to new features.