ChatGPT outage hits globally as OpenAI probes access issues

OpenAI faced a widespread outage affecting its flagship chatbot ChatGPT and coding tool Codex, disrupting users across multiple regions even as the company announced a record-breaking funding round that underscores investor confidence in artificial intelligence.

The outage began around 10:05 a.m. ET, with a sharp spike in user complaints logged on Downdetector. Reports indicated that thousands of users in the UK, the United States, and India were unable to access ChatGPT, Codex, or related services across both web and mobile platforms.

Outage disrupts global users

According to Downdetector data, the UK saw more than 7,600 reports at one point, peaking above 8,000, while the United States recorded roughly 1,700 to 1,875 complaints. India also logged hundreds of issues, suggesting the disruption was global in nature but varied in intensity by region.

The outage impacted multiple functions, including login access and general usage, with users reporting errors and failed responses that interrupted routine activities such as writing and debugging.

OpenAI acknowledged the issue on its status page, stating it was investigating “users unable to load ChatGPT and Codex” and broader “degraded performance.” The company has not yet disclosed the root cause or a timeline for resolution.

The incident comes just days after a previous disruption, raising questions about the platform’s ability to scale reliably amid surging demand.

Record funding highlights investor confidence

The outage came after OpenAI announced a landmark $122 billion funding round in early April at a valuation of $852 billion, one of the largest capital raises in history.

The financing was led by major technology players, including Amazon, which committed $50 billion, alongside Nvidia and SoftBank Group, each contributing $30 billion. A portion of Amazon’s investment is tied to future milestones, including a potential initial public offering or achieving artificial general intelligence.

Additional investors include Andreessen Horowitz, MGX, D.E. Shaw Ventures, TPG, and T. Rowe Price, reflecting broad institutional interest in the AI sector.

OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar said the financing “blows out of the water even the largest IPO that’s ever been done.” She added the deal is intended to give the company “a lot of flexibility” to invest in computing infrastructure and its long-term AI roadmap.

Growth strategy and product shift

OpenAI said it is currently generating $2 billion in monthly revenue, with enterprise customers accounting for 40% of total sales — a figure expected to rise to 50% by year-end.

The company is also expanding its monetization strategy. It recently introduced advertising within ChatGPT, with its pilot program reaching $100 million in annualized revenue within six weeks.

At the same time, OpenAI is streamlining its product ecosystem. The company plans to discontinue support for its Sora AI video generator and is developing a unified desktop application described as a “SuperApp.”

“Users do not want disconnected tools. They want a single system that can understand intent, take action, and operate across applications, data, and workflows,” the company said in a blog post.

Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman also outlined internal changes, including restructuring safety and security teams to better integrate them into product development while allowing leadership to focus on infrastructure and capital-raising efforts.