ChatGPT Outage Disrupts Global Users; OpenAI Confirms System-Wide Issue

February 3, 2026

A significant and widespread outage has rendered OpenAI's flagship AI model, ChatGPT, inaccessible to users worldwide. The disruption began around 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 3rd, 2026, with reports of issues rapidly escalating, as indicated by a sharp spike in user complaints on outage tracking websites. By 3:15 p.m., over 10,000 cases had been reported, with the number continuing to climb.

OpenAI has officially confirmed the ongoing system-wide issue on its status page, acknowledging that the outage is affecting every facet of the ChatGPT service. This includes core functionalities such as conversational AI, search capabilities, and image generation features. Advanced tools like Codex and Atlas have also been reported as impacted, leaving users unable to leverage the full suite of OpenAI's AI offerings.

The timing of the outage has led to speculation about potential contributing factors, though OpenAI has not yet provided a definitive cause. Notably, the day prior saw the launch of OpenAI's Codex app for macOS, which, according to CEO Sam Altman, achieved over 200,000 downloads on its first day. Furthermore, on the same day as the outage, Apple announced an update to its Xcode development environment that integrates agentic coding support for both Codex and Claude. While a direct causal link is not confirmed, the sudden surge in demand for these new integrations might have placed an unprecedented strain on OpenAI's infrastructure.

The widespread nature of the outage has generated considerable user frustration. As a sophisticated AI tool increasingly integrated into daily workflows for individuals and businesses alike, downtime for ChatGPT can have tangible consequences. Many users took to social media to express their concerns and seek information about the service's status.

Interestingly, reports suggest that Anthropic's AI model, Claude, also experienced an outage affecting many users earlier on the same day. While the two incidents are not confirmed to be related, it highlights a period of significant instability for major AI platforms.

As of early evening Eastern Time, Engadget reported that ChatGPT had been brought back online after the afternoon disruption. However, the full extent of the impact and the underlying cause of this significant outage are still being investigated by OpenAI. The company has stated it will provide further updates as more information becomes available. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the reliance on stable AI infrastructure and the potential vulnerabilities that exist within complex technological systems.

In the interim, users experiencing issues with ChatGPT were advised by some outlets to try basic troubleshooting steps such as clearing browser cache and cookies, restarting devices, or attempting to access the service via a different network. However, during the peak of the outage, these measures were unlikely to resolve the problem, underscoring the systemic nature of the disruption.

The incident is expected to prompt a review of OpenAI's infrastructure resilience and contingency planning, particularly in light of the rapidly growing user base and the increasing integration of AI into critical applications. The company's ability to swiftly address such large-scale issues will be crucial for maintaining user trust and confidence in its services.

This is a developing story. Further details will be provided as they emerge.

Sources:

• 9to5mac.com: "ChatGPT is down for many users in major OpenAI outage"
• Engadget.com: "ChatGPT is down for many users this afternoon"
• TechRadar.com: "ChatGPT is down for many, as OpenAI confirms an active issue ..."