OpenAI experienced a major service disruption on Thursday, December 11, 2024, impacting ChatGPT, its API, and Sora platforms, causing widespread technical challenges for millions of users worldwide.
The outage began shortly before 7 PM Eastern Time (5.30 AM Indian Standard Time), rendering ChatGPT, API services, and Sora inaccessible. Users encountered login difficulties and error messages, with many unable to use the popular AI chatbot and related services.
OpenAI quickly acknowledged the technical issues on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “We’re experiencing an outage right now. We have identified the issue and are working to roll out a fix.” The company’s engineers confirmed API calls were returning errors and platform access was compromised.
Services were gradually restored, with full functionality returning around 8 AM IST. Both free and paid users were affected, triggering significant social media reaction. Downdetector, a service disruption monitoring platform, recorded a sharp increase in user complaints during the outage.
The incident highlighted the growing technological dependence on AI tools, particularly OpenAI’s services. Businesses relying on the API experienced operational challenges, while individual users expressed frustration through memes and social media posts.
This disruption followed another major tech service outage by Meta on Wednesday, which affected WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook platforms, compounding user frustration with technology services.
OpenAI has not provided a detailed explanation of the root cause of the outage. The company’s primary focus remained on restoring services and minimizing user inconvenience.
The back-to-back service disruptions underscore the critical nature of digital platforms in contemporary professional and personal communication ecosystems.
At press time, OpenAI confirmed services had returned to normal, with ongoing monitoring to prevent potential future incidents.
