OpenAI's flagship AI chatbot, ChatGPT, suffered a massive global outage on June 10, 2025, depriving millions of users across every continent of access for hours. This outage, which also affected OpenAI's Sora video creation tool and key API services, marked one of the most significant technology disruptions in the company's history.
Chronology and extent of the outage
The outage began Tuesday morning, with reports starting around 2:45 a.m. ET. As the day progressed, users in India, USA, the UK, Europe, and Asia-Pacific flooded social media and outage tracking platforms with error messages and unresponsive services. Downdetector, a real-time outage tracking tool, recorded thousands of outage reports: India alone recorded nearly 800 complaints, while the US and the UK each recorded more than 1.
Free tier users and ChatGPT Plus subscribers have been affected, with disruptions reported on web platforms, mobile, and API. The outage also affected Sora, OpenAI's new AI-powered video tool, and resulted in degraded performance across all related services.
User Experience: Error Messages and Frustration
Users attempting to interact with ChatGPT have encountered various error messages, including:
“Hmm… there seems to be a problem.”
“A network error has occurred. Please check your connection and try again.”
Many initially suspected a problem with their own internet connection before realizing the issue was OpenAI. The majority of complaints involved the chatbot being unresponsive, while others reported connection loops, blank chat windows, or abruptly disconnecting mid-conversation.
OpenAI Response and Survey
OpenAI acknowledged the outage on its official status page and social media, stating:
"Some users are experiencing high error rates and latency on the listed services. We are continuing to investigate this issue."
Late this afternoon, OpenAI reported that it had identified the root cause and was working to resolve the issue, but warned that a full restoration could take several hours. As of recent updates, the company was still monitoring the situation and working to restore normal service.
What is the cause of the breakdown?
Although OpenAI has not released a detailed technical description, initial analyses suggest a combination of server overload, technical issues in the company's infrastructure, and possible external cyberthreats. The unprecedented surge in global demand, estimated at over 3,2 million concurrent users, pushed OpenAI's systems to their limits, exposing vulnerabilities in the platform's scalability and resilience. Other factors that may have contributed to the outage include cascading API failures and distributed database synchronization issues.
Impact and reactions
The outage disrupted the workflows of a wide range of users, from students and teachers to professionals and developers who use ChatGPT for research, content creation, and customer service automation. Social media was rife with memes and complaints, with users humorously complaining about having to "enter my information at work" in the absence of their AI assistant.
Industry analysts point out that this incident underscores the growing reliance on AI tools and the risks associated with centralized digital infrastructures. For many, this outage served as a wake-up call, prompting consideration of backup strategies and alternative platforms.
Alternatives and next steps
As OpenAI works to restore its full service, users looking for generative AI solutions are turning to alternatives such as chatgptfrancais.orgExperts advise against repeatedly refreshing sessions or re-entering login credentials during outages, as this could trigger additional security checks without speeding recovery.
Conclusion
The ChatGPT outage of June 2025 is a stark reminder of the power and fragility of today's AI-driven digital ecosystem. As OpenAI works to restore stability, millions of people are reflecting on the essential—and sometimes precarious—role artificial intelligence now plays in daily life and business operations.
