OpenAI recently rolled out the latest version of ChatGPT, codenamed Strawberry, with promises of making the AI chatbot more intuitive and human-like. While the update included improvements in its ability to understand natural language, many users were surprised to see ChatGPT initiating conversations unprompted. For a short while, it appeared that ChatGPT had developed the ability to message users first – but according to OpenAI, this was an unexpected bug, not a preview of new functionality.

Reports quickly surfaced on social media platforms like Reddit, where one user shared that ChatGPT asked how their first week of high school went. When the user inquired if ChatGPT had messaged them first, the AI confidently replied "yes" and explained it was following up on a previous conversation. In another case, the bot reportedly checked in on health symptoms that had been discussed earlier.

These interactions stirred both excitement and skepticism. Some users shared screenshots and links as proof that ChatGPT had initiated chats, while others questioned the authenticity, with one Twitter user showing how the chat could have been faked. The prospect of ChatGPT offering helpful reminders—such as follow-ups on travel plans or restaurant bookings—piqued curiosity, though some found it unsettling.

However, OpenAI has since confirmed that this behavior was not intentional. In a statement to Futurism, the company explained that the issue arose from a glitch where ChatGPT was responding to unsent or blank messages, leading it to either offer generic replies or pull information from its memory.

For now, ChatGPT cannot start a conversation on its own. However, the buzz generated by this situation could inspire OpenAI to explore a similar feature in the future—provided users opt in. Given the bot’s existing ability to remember previous interactions, adding functionality to initiate conversations may be just a matter of additional programming.

For now, we’ll wait to see what new features OpenAI brings to ChatGPT in future updates.