On June 4, 2024, ChatGPT experienced a major outage that disrupted services for millions of users worldwide. Despite initial fixes, the AI platform faced recurring issues throughout the day, leading to widespread frustration and humorous reactions on social media, as users grappled with their dependence on the chatbot for various tasks.
ChatGPT Outage Timeline
The first signs of trouble emerged at 2:30 AM ET on June 4, 2024, when users began reporting issues with ChatGPT. OpenAI acknowledged the problem on their status page and worked on a fix, which was initially implemented around 7:30 AM ET. However, the service faced recurring problems, leading to a second major outage later in the morning. By 5:01 PM GMT, OpenAI reported that all systems were operational again, although the exact cause of the outage remained undisclosed.
User Impact and Issues
Users worldwide faced significant disruptions due to the ChatGPT outage on June 4, 2024. Many reported being unable to log in, send messages, or receive responses from the chatbot, leading to a surge in complaints on social media and platforms like Downdetector. The outage affected various tasks, including coding, brainstorming, and writing reports, highlighting the heavy reliance on ChatGPT for daily activities.
Other AI Services Affected
Interestingly, the June 4 outage wasn’t limited to just one AI service. Alongside ChatGPT, other AI tools like Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity also experienced disruptions, albeit to a lesser extent. This simultaneous failure led to a flurry of speculation and humor on social media, with users comparing the situation to a return to the “middle ages” and expressing concerns about their reliance on AI tools.
OpenAI’s Response and Resolution
OpenAI worked diligently throughout June 4, 2024, to address the ChatGPT outage, implementing an initial fix around 7:30 AM ET, which temporarily restored service. However, recurring issues necessitated further intervention, and by 5:01 PM GMT, OpenAI reported that all systems were operational again. Despite the resolution, the exact cause of the outage remained undisclosed, leaving users and analysts to speculate about potential reasons, including server issues or high demand.
