ChatGPT on WhatsApp: Now Smarter with Image & Audio Uploads

Back in December 2024, we talked about ChatGPT coming to WhatsApp. That was huge news for Zimbabwe, where most people do not have general internet access but rather only get bundles that restrict access to WhatsApp and Facebook.

So, it is a big deal that even with a WhatsApp-only internet experience, Zimbabweans can now enjoy access to the generative AI that is transforming the world.

ChatGPT remains the most popular of these generative AI models, and you can use it via WhatsApp. Great. So, how come there wasn’t much excitement when this news came out?

See, I believe ChatGPT messed up by excluding some countries for flimsy reasons when they launched. You will recall that Zimbabwe did not have access for a long time.

While they played hard to get, their competition swooped in, and Zimbabweans got a taste. By the time ChatGPT opened the doors, people were settled elsewhere.

We ran a poll last year and found that the vast majority of the Techzim community uses Meta AI. Why? Accessibility, of course.

Meta AI could be used with just a WhatsApp bundle, and so it got the users. It also helps that Meta owns WhatsApp, so they have Meta AI buttons and put it in search bars. You couldn’t miss it.

So, ChatGPT seems to be serious about courting the third world now, as evidenced by the move to WhatsApp. So far, judging by the lack of enthusiasm, it may be too little, too late in Zimbabwe.

Fortunately for them, we’re just a small and poor nation. For their sake, hopefully, the other countries shunned at first were more forgiving.

Anyway, if you would like the ChatGPT experience, it is now available on WhatsApp. To get started, simply add this number to your contacts and send a message to it: 1-800-242-8478.

You could just scan this QR code too:

The WhatsApp ChatGPT Experience Enhanced

When it started, you could only text ChatGPT on WhatsApp, but that has been improved.

ChatGPT in WhatsApp now allows users to upload images and send audio messages, enhancing what they call the ‘multimodal assistance experience.’

You can upload images for identification or translation. Let’s say you see some mushrooms for sale by the street corner and want to confirm whether they are edible. You can just snap a picture, send it to ChatGPT on WhatsApp, and it will give you an answer.

In that scenario, I would use ChatGPT’s answer to confirm what the salesman says. I wouldn’t trust the AI’s answer on mushrooms I come across in the woods.

Anyway, you can also send audio messages to receive text responses – perfect for those times when you can’t be bothered to type out your long questions.

Additionally, users can now link their ChatGPT Plus, Free, or Pro accounts to WhatsApp, expanding access beyond the previous limits of 15-minute calls per month.