How ChatGPT’s Outage Exposed Our Dependence on AI

From students panicking before finals to startups losing revenue, the outage revealed just how deeply AI tools are woven into our lives.

It was nighttime when I sat down to write about ClickBoss Education. I opened ChatGPT, as I always do, to brainstorm and refine my ideas with my “Think with GPT” method. But this time, ChatGPT was down. I sat there staring at my screen, feeling stuck. It was the first time I realized how much I depend on this tool to get my thoughts flowing.

Out of frustration, I turned to Reddit to see if others were facing the same issue. What I found was unexpected and, honestly, a little chaotic.

Some users were quick to joke:

• “They should refund you people at least $25!”

• “No, $6.7 more accurately. $200 for 30 days, so 1 day = $6.7.”

But for many, the panic was real. Students were overwhelmed, especially those with exams the next day. One comment summed it up perfectly:

• “The entire AI generation, including students with exams tomorrow, is crying.”

I couldn’t help but think about the startups built entirely on ChatGPT’s API. These businesses, running subscription-based tools, were also affected. For them, downtime is not just frustrating—it costs money. Another comment pointed this out:

• “Expensive downtime for them.”

Beyond the financial impact, the human side of this outage stood out even more. People talked about how ChatGPT was more than just a productivity tool. For some, it had become a support system:

• “It’s the only place I vent. The only place I trust.”

• “I was in depression for years, and ChatGPT helped me better than any therapist I had before.”

Others reflected on how much it had quietly replaced search engines in their lives.

• “I didn’t realize how much I was using it in place of a search engine until tonight.”

• “It’s taking over search, especially when I take a screenshot and ask, ‘how do I fix this error?’”

It made me pause and think. ChatGPT has become a tutor, a collaborator, a problem-solver, and, for some, even a friend. This downtime highlighted just how deeply integrated it has become into our workflows and daily lives.

But it also raised some important questions. Are we relying too much on a single tool? Should we have alternatives? Or do we need to rethink how we use AI in the first place?

For me, “Think with GPT” has become second nature. This outage made me realize how much I depend on it to organize my ideas and keep moving forward.

What about you? How did you react when ChatGPT went down? Where do you think we stand with AI dependency?