What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot made by OpenAI. You ask a question in plain language, and ChatGPT gives an answer as if you're talking to a human. It can write texts, answer questions, produce code, make translations and brainstorm about problems.
Since its launch in November 2022, ChatGPT has changed the way people think about AI. For the first time, advanced AI was available to anyone with an internet connection. Within two months it had 100 million users - faster than any app ever.
The name says a lot: "Chat" refers to the conversational format, "GPT" stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer. That's the technology behind it - a large language model that generates text based on patterns in training data.
Who is OpenAI?
OpenAI is the company behind ChatGPT. It was founded in 2015 by, among others, Sam Altman and Elon Musk (who later left) as a non-profit research lab. The goal was to develop artificial intelligence that benefits all of humanity.
In 2019 the structure changed to a "capped profit" model to attract investors. Microsoft invested billions of dollars and became the largest partner. OpenAI successively developed GPT-2, GPT-3, GPT-4 and GPT-4o - each more powerful than the previous one.
OpenAI now also has other products: DALL-E (image generation), Whisper (speech recognition), Sora (video generation) and the OpenAI API that lets developers build AI into their own products. In 2025, OpenClaw founder Peter Steinberger joined OpenAI, and the open-source AI Agent framework is now backed by OpenAI through an independent foundation.
How does ChatGPT work?
ChatGPT is based on a Large Language Model (LLM). This model was trained on billions of pages of text from the internet - books, articles, websites, code, forums. By processing all that text it learned how language works, how concepts relate and what a logical answer looks like.
Technically, ChatGPT predicts the next word in a sentence each time. It does this so well that the result reads as a well-considered answer. But it's important to realize: ChatGPT doesn't understand text the way a human does. It recognizes patterns and produces text that is statistically probable.
After the base training comes an extra step: Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF). Human evaluators provide feedback on the model's answers. "This answer is helpful", "this answer is incorrect", "this answer is inappropriate". The model learns from that feedback to give better, safer answers.
What can you do with ChatGPT?
The applications are broad. These are the most commonly used:
Writing and editing text - Drafting emails - Writing blog posts and articles - Summarizing texts - Correcting language errors - Making translations
Research and analysis - Getting complex topics explained - Interpreting data - Making comparisons - Brainstorming ideas
Programming - Writing code in dozens of languages - Finding and fixing bugs - Explaining code - Generating technical documentation
Business applications - Summarizing meeting notes - Creating project plans - Answering customer emails - Structuring presentations - Writing reports
Creative work - Marketing copy - Social media posts - Coming up with product names - Video scripts
ChatGPT: free vs paid
OpenAI offers multiple versions:
ChatGPT Free - Free, uses GPT-4o mini. Fine for simple questions and tasks. There is a limited number of messages per day.
ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) - Access to GPT-4o and GPT-4. Faster answers, more messages per day, early access to new features like image generation and data analysis.
ChatGPT Team ($25/user/month) - For teams. Shared workspaces, longer context, admin tools. OpenAI does not train on your data.
ChatGPT Enterprise (pricing on request) - For large organizations. SOC 2 compliance, unlimited usage, SSO, analytics.
For most business users, Plus is sufficient to explore the possibilities. Team or Enterprise becomes relevant when you work with multiple people or process sensitive business data.
The limitations of ChatGPT
ChatGPT is powerful, but not perfect. These limitations are important to know:
Hallucinations - ChatGPT sometimes makes up facts. It produces text that sounds convincing but is factually incorrect. Sources it mentions sometimes don't exist. Always verify factual claims, especially for legal, medical or financial information.
Knowledge cutoff - The model has a training date. Information after that date is unknown (unless it has web search capabilities). For current information, ChatGPT is not always reliable.
No understanding - ChatGPT simulates understanding, but doesn't truly understand what it's saying. It recognizes patterns in text. This sometimes leads to answers that sound superficially correct but miss the core point.
Forgetting context - In long conversations, ChatGPT loses earlier context. It has a limited "memory" per conversation (the context window). For complex projects you need to regularly repeat what the starting points are.
No actions - Standard ChatGPT can talk, but not act. It can write an email, but not send it. It can make a schedule, but not put it in your calendar. It stops at the answer.
Privacy - Everything you type in ChatGPT is potentially used to improve the model (unless you turn this off or have a business subscription). Don't share sensitive business information in the free version.
ChatGPT vs an AI Agent
This is a distinction that's becoming increasingly relevant. ChatGPT is a chatbot. An AI Agent is a system.
ChatGPT: - You open a window, ask a question, get an answer - Close the window and the interaction stops - It doesn't know your business (unless you explain everything again each time) - It can only produce text, not act - Available via the OpenAI website or app
An AI Agent: - Runs continuously in the background, 24 hours a day - Reachable via WhatsApp, Slack, Discord, Telegram or your own website - Knows your business context, processes and customers - Can execute tasks: schedule appointments, create files, send notifications - Is specifically configured for your business
The difference is comparable to Google Translate and a dedicated translator. Google Translate translates what you input. A dedicated translator knows your house style, your audience and your terminology, and delivers work that fits your brand.
ChatGPT is a great tool for ad-hoc tasks. But if you want to structurally deploy AI in your business operations - as a digital employee that's always available and knows your way of working - then you need an AI Agent.
Using ChatGPT in your business
If you want to use ChatGPT as a business, there are three levels:
Level 1: Individual use - Employees use ChatGPT for their own tasks. Writing emails, doing research, checking code. Low barrier, no setup needed. Risk: inconsistency and privacy issues when everyone uses their own prompts and accounts.
Level 2: Team agreements - You create guidelines for AI usage. What data can and cannot be shared? Which tasks are suitable? You use ChatGPT Team for shared workspaces. Better structured, but still manual.
Level 3: Integrated AI - You deploy an AI Agent connected to your business systems. The agent knows your processes, works via the channels your team already uses, and runs continuously. This is where ad-hoc chatbot interactions make way for structural automation.
The right expectations
ChatGPT is not a magic solution. It's a tool that helps you work faster and better, provided you use it well. The biggest mistake businesses make is expecting to ask ChatGPT a question and get a perfect result.
The reality: you need to learn to write good prompts, verify output and fit the tool into your work processes. That takes time and practice.
At the same time, the potential is enormous. Employees who are proficient with AI tools are demonstrably more productive. The investment in learning to use this technology pays for itself.
Beyond ChatGPT
ChatGPT was many people's first encounter with AI. But the AI landscape is broader. Besides OpenAI there are strong alternatives like Claude from Anthropic (known for safety and quality), Gemini from Google (integrated with Google services) and open-source models.
For businesses that want to deploy AI as an ongoing part of their operations, the step from chatbot to AI Agent is logical. A chatbot answers questions. An AI Agent runs processes.
At aiagent.nl we build that step. We combine the power of the best language models with a dedicated AI Agent that fits your business, is reachable via the channels your team already uses, and continuously runs alongside your work processes.
