OpenAI’s ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot tool that answer questions in human-like language and can discuss a wide range of topics using data from the internet, has taken the world by storm. So much so, that the New York City Department of Education has implemented a ChatGPT ban on its devices and network, citing “negative impacts on student learning” and “concerns regarding the safety and accuracy of content” provided by the chatbot.
If you still haven’t tried the chatbot out, it’s worth noting that it’s absolutely free to use. Nefarious actors have swarmed both the App Store and the Play Store with unaffiliated applications using icons and names similar to that of ChatGPT.
One such application, titled ‘ChatGPT Chat GPT AI With GPT-3’ (now delete), managed to reach the top free apps in the App Store’s ‘productivity’ category, as reported by Gizmodo.
The app was ranked the fifth most popular download before it was removed from the App Store. The app was free to download, though it started charging users $7.99 per week after offering three free days of usage. What’s funny is that the app charges $49.99 per month, which is absurdly higher than what a user would have to pay if they subscribed for four consecutive weeks ($31.96).
The iOS App Store is full of folks putting ChatGPT into a paid wrapper with ambiguous language that would let you believe you’re paying for ChatGPT pic.twitter.com/3w0rK14E5I
— Austen Allred (@Austen) January 7, 2023
While it was live, the application appeared to have an interface that would relay user queries to the actual ChatGPT and reply with answers generated by the chatbot. Unlike the actual ChatGPT, though, the fake app was reported to reply with answers completely irrelevant to the submitted query, making it a completely unreliable paid tool.
The imposter app also went live on the Google Play Store, but it, too, was removed after it surpassed 100,000 downloads.
Meanwhile on Google Play…fake chatGPT 1star app with >100k downloads. pic.twitter.com/5fj5SEITwp
— nisten (@nisten) January 6, 2023
It’s worth noting that OpenAI is building a ChatGPT-powered iOS application with an iMessage-like user interface, as reported by venture capitalist and podcaster, Jason Calacanis, who reportedly has been given access to the beta version of the app. Until the official app goes live, the only official way to use ChatGPT is by visiting the official website provided on OpenAI’s website.
Image credit: Shutterstock
Source: Gizmodo
