ChatGPT was initially just a basic large-scale language-based chatbot when it gained popularity many years ago, but now, users expect more from their AI applications. Beyond simple conversations, users want learning tools, shopping support, social features, image and video creation models, etc., integrated into applications like ChatGPT. In 2026, OpenAI seems to be doing its best to make ChatGPT even better, while competitors like Gemini and Perplexity are gradually catching up.
If you've been following Gemini's development and ChatGPT's advertising campaign, you may have missed a lot of the new features recently added to ChatGPT. From group chats to personalized shopping tools, here are 3 new ChatGPT features you should know about.
Sleep Mode
Who needs NotebookLM? ChatGPT already has its own learning tool.
NotebookLM is currently the best AI-powered learning and research tool available, but other AI companies are paying attention to it. This past summer, OpenAI added Study Mode to ChatGPT, inheriting many of NotebookLM's great features. After selecting Study Mode from ChatGPT's tools, you can use the chatbot to create study materials, ask questions, or simplify complex topics. ChatGPT can take your materials, including notes, presentations, or textbooks, to provide appropriate feedback. This feature is tailored to each student, and ChatGPT will remember your level through conversations to support you accordingly.
ChatGPT's Study Mode uses a Socratic questioning method to help users learn, reversing the conventional approach. Instead of users asking the chatbot for all the answers, the chatbot asks students questions to help them learn and guide them in the right direction. It can create practice tests or give you hypothetical scores for your research, preparing students for real exams. Compared to NotebookLM, ChatGPT's Study Mode is more flexible, existing in standard chatbots on both web and mobile applications.
Group chat
You can invite your friends to join the ChatGPT conversation.
In case you need an additional inbox, ChatGPT rolled out group chat support late last year. This feature isn't as strange as you might think. Group chat in ChatGPT isn't designed to replace your messaging apps, but rather to improve collaboration. After tapping the group chat button in the upper right corner of the ChatGPT app or website, you can invite up to 20 people by sharing a link. Group chats are private and won't use information stored in your personal storage on ChatGPT. New details won't be added to your storage either.
It's like adding an AI model to a group chat with your friends or family. You can send messages to each other, as well as request ChatGPT to join when needed. OpenAI gives examples of using ChatGPT group chats to plan trips, study together, or create AI-generated content with friends. You'll have to decide whether group chats are really necessary in the ChatGPT app, but at least now you know what that new button does.
Shopping research
Having trouble choosing the right product? ChatGPT has a feature for that.
If you're someone who's always looking for the best deals, ChatGPT's shopping feature can help. You can activate shopping research mode by entering the right keywords. According to OpenAI, this mode "is automatically suggested when you ask a shopping-related question," but effectiveness may vary depending on the question. Alternatively, you can select this mode from the ChatGPT tools section near the chat box. Either way, this mode is designed to help you compare products, search for deals on the web, and find products you didn't know you needed.
ChatGPT uses your memory and chat history to suggest suitable products, but it will also ask clarifying questions if the chatbot needs more information. For example, you might be asked about your budget, preferred brands, and key features when ChatGPT makes recommendations. The tool uses "trusted websites, product pages, community opinions, and other reliable sources" to make recommendations, and this process can take several minutes. Once complete, ChatGPT will explain its choices and provide links for you to purchase the products.
Although not currently available for most products, OpenAI is developing an "Instant Checkout" feature that will allow users to purchase products directly within their ChatGPT conversations.
The 'Thinking' model
The most significant change in ChatGPT 2026 is the refinement of the GPT-5 architecture. Unlike previous versions that relied on rapid token prediction, the current version offers three distinct model modes that users can enable/disable or set to 'Auto':
- Thinking Mode : This is a 'PhD-level' reasoning tool. It uses an extensive chain of thought processing to self-correct errors and verify logic before arriving at an answer. Currently, it is the gold standard for complex programming, forensic analysis, and scientific research.
- Instant Mode (GPT-5.2) : Released this month, Instant Mode is designed for speed and 'warmth'. It simulates human conversational patterns more accurately than ever before, making it a top choice for brainstorming and everyday administrative tasks.
- Deep Research : A specialized mode that can synthesize thousands of pages of documents or conduct in-depth web investigation, providing a verified report with a bibliography.
Americ Workflow: AI Action
Perhaps the most discussed feature among ChatGPT 2026's new features is the shift from 'Assistant' to 'Agent'. Through the integration of new 'Apps' (replacing the old 'Connectors'), ChatGPT can now perform multi-step logistical steps across your entire digital system. Imagine you ask ChatGPT to 'plan a business trip to Tokyo next month'. In 2024, it would provide you with a schedule. In 2026, it will check your calendar, compare flight prices via API, suggest hotels based on accumulated points, and – with your permission – draft a booking confirmation. This leap towards agentic AI means ChatGPT is increasingly acting as a background layer in our lives.
Will ChatGPT still be the best AI chatbot in 2026?
After an impressive start, attention for ChatGPT is indeed beginning to wane. Google and Anthropic are fiercely competing with OpenAI in AI benchmarks, making Gemini and Perplexity viable alternatives to ChatGPT. With that in mind, dismissing ChatGPT would be a mistake. This chatbot is constantly being updated with new features, including Study Mode, group chat, and shopping research. This reason alone should be enough to check ChatGPT occasionally to see what's new. You can use all these features in ChatGPT right now on both free and paid accounts.