OpenAI, the company behind the famous chatbot, ChatGPT, requires a personal phone number during account registration. Getting started with open AI is simple and free. You can either use your email address for this purpose or log in with your Microsoft or Google account.
But there is a limitation, you can’t complete registration without providing your phone number. In fact, there is no way to skip this process which begs the question, why does OpenAI need a phone number? Well, OpenAI needs a phone number to verify your account with a text message code.
In this article, we’re going to discuss in detail why actually OpenAI needs a phone number. Is there a way to bypass this requirement, and how to use OpenAI without a phone number? So let’s get started!
Table of Contents
Why Does OpenAI Need a Phone Number
When you sign up for the OpenAI platform, they require your phone number to maintain the security and integrity of the platform. Some of the main reasons for “why does OpenAI need a phone number” are discussed below:
- Users Verification
OpenAI asks for a phone number to verify the user’s identity. By linking a phone number to an OpenAI account, you ensure that you’re a legitimate user and not a robot.
Providing a phone number helps to add an extra layer of security like 2FA(Two Factor Authentication), so it’s a crucial step towards protecting user data and preventing unauthorized access to user accounts.
- Prevent Fraudulent Activity
Another reason for requiring a phone number is to prevent any fraudulent activity and abuse of the platform. Sometimes the spammers can create multiple accounts to overload the OpenAI server, preventing the real users from accessing the OpenAI’s services i.e., DALL-E2, ChatGPT, etc. To combat such type of spamming and trolling OpenAI demands personal phone numbers from users.
- Account Recovery Purposes
Last but not least, OpenAI needs a phone number to contact users for support or send an account recovery code. In the event that you’re unable to log in to an OpenAI account due to a forgotten password or username. You can use the number attached to your account to reset account credentials and regain access to advanced OpenAI services for free.
➡️Some users on Reddit and Quora have shown their concern about privacy when providing their phone numbers to OpenAI. Some have said that they have canceled their registration when the process asked for their phone numbers.
However, OpenAI has ensured users that it has security measures in place to protect user data. The privacy policy of the company outlines that the company is committed to safeguarding user information and would only use it for legitimate purposes.
Can Users Use Landline, VoIP, or Google Voice for Verification
No, OpenAI doesn’t support user verification through VoIP, landline, or Google Voice. For security reasons, the signup verification is only limited to mobile phone numbers over an SMS text message.
Why Open AI Block Premium Numbers?
Premium numbers are frequently connected to increased instances of fraudulent activities or misuse. OpenAI mostly blocks these numbers to ensure the platform’s integrity and minimize instances of fraud and misuse.
Can we Use WhatsApp for OpenAI Account Verification?
Currently, OpenAI supports verification via WhatsApp in 12 countries worldwide as of September 2023. This list includes:
- Pakistan
- India
- Indonesia
- Vietnam
- Ukraine
- Malaysia
- Turkey
- Egypt
- Saudi Arabia
- UAE
- Israel
- Nigeria
You can check the updated list of supported countries on the official OpenAI website’s help page.
How Many Open AI Accounts Can You Create Using One Phone Number?
You can create a maximum of 2 Open AI accounts on the same number. After that, you won’t be able to use this number for signing up for an account even if you have deleted any of the previous accounts.
How to Use OpenAI Without a Phone Number
After getting information about “why does OpenAI need a phone number” you might be thinking is there a way to bypass this limitation or how to access openAI services without phone number verification? Unfortunately, you can’t use OpenAI’s services without providing a phone number while signing up for an OpenAI account. It’s an international limitation that isn’t expected to go away any time soon. However, there are a few workarounds you can try to bypass the limitation:
Try Verification via WhatsApp
Are you still confused about providing your phone number to OpenAI or you don’t have an active cell phone number? Worry not, now OpenAI supports account verification via WhatsApp in certain countries. Check whether you are a resident of such a country, if yes, then simply check the “Do you have WhatsApp?” option while completing OpenAI account registration.
Try a Virtual Phone Number / Online SMS Service
According to OpenAI’s official website, you can’t use VoIP numbers like Google Voice, etc. to sign up for an OpenAI account. However, if you’re not interested in providing your personal phone number, you can use a virtual phone number or try online SMS services. A number of Online SMS services claim that they use real numbers to avoid any detection. So look around for a service to unlock your way to OpenAI.
Use a Temporary Phone Number
The use of a temporary phone number is one of the best options to verify an OpenAI account without a personal phone number. Simply find a reliable temporary number generator website that usually provides numbers of USA, UK, Canada, and all tier 1 countries. Provide this number while creating an OpenAI account, receive the verification code through the number generator website and you’re good to go.
Use OpenAI Alternatives
Open AI is not the only AI service provider company. From Janitor AI to Bing Chat and Google Bard, there are a number of Open AI’s ChatGPT, Whisper AI, and all other service alternatives you can try. And do you know, for many of these you even don’t need to create an account to get started?
Conclusion
We hope we’ve cleared all your queries related to “Why does OpenAI need a phone number”. OpenAI mainly needs your phone number for verification purposes. If you’re not comfortable with providing your personal phone number you can try verification via WhatsApp or virtual numbers or try alternatives for Open AI Services. For all your user privacy concerns, almost every member of our team has shared their personal phone number with openAI while creating the account. To date, we haven’t received any spam calls or messages. So from our personal experience, we assure you that providing a cell phone number to OpenAI is 100% safe.