OpenAI is steering ChatGPT users toward more paid usage

OpenAI is getting a bit more restrictive with ChatGPT, adding card and device limits as part of its security measures. Users who link too many subscriptions to the same payment card or device won't be able to start new ones. ChatGPT also caps the number of paid accounts per device. When users hit the limit, they'll see "Device limit reached," and the affected account can no longer be used on that device.

The limits apply to ChatGPT Go, Plus, Pro 100, Pro 200, and Pro 500. Free accounts and Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans don't count. Logging out of an account doesn't automatically free up a spot for another, according to OpenAI's support page.

The policy will likely hit users who've been switching between multiple paid accounts on one device to squeeze more usage out of cheap flat-rate subscriptions. OpenAI instead points to buying extra credits or usage resets, options that are generally more expensive than an additional subscription. OpenAI also appears to be slowly prioritizing revenue over growth, as its move to merge Chat and Work suggests.

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