What is ChatGPT-User? AI crawler guide

ChatGPT-User by OpenAI: User-triggered OpenAI fetcher for ChatGPT and Custom GPT actions. Check its reported user-agent, robots.txt behavior, source, and verification guidance.

User-triggered OpenAI fetcher for ChatGPT and Custom GPT actions.

What is ChatGPT-User?

ChatGPT-User is a fetcher operated by OpenAI. It is triggered when a person using ChatGPT or a Custom GPT asks the assistant to read or interact with a specific web page. Unlike broad crawlers that scan the web automatically, this bot only visits URLs that a user explicitly requests. Its user-agent token is ChatGPT-User. OpenAI documents this as user initiated, meaning the request originates from a real-time action rather than a scheduled crawl. Verify the source IP against OpenAI's published ChatGPT-User ranges because user-agent text alone can be spoofed.

What it's for

When ChatGPT-User visits your site, it typically means a user has asked ChatGPT to fetch or act on a particular page. This could be to summarize content, answer a question, or perform a task through a Custom GPT. For site owners, this represents direct, user-driven traffic rather than automated indexing. It may increase visibility if your content is useful in AI-assisted conversations, but it does not guarantee inclusion in training data or search results.

ChatGPT-User fires when a real user's question pulls in your page. To know how often ChatGPT reaches for your brand at all, track your brand mentions in ChatGPT.

How to handle ChatGPT-User

You can block ChatGPT-User via robots.txt using the token ChatGPT-User. However, because the fetcher is user-initiated, robots.txt rules may not always apply. If you want to prevent ChatGPT from accessing your content in response to user prompts, adding a Disallow rule for this user-agent is the primary method. Keep in mind that blocking may not be absolute, as the request is tied to a user action.

robots.txt rule

User-agent: ChatGPT-User Disallow: /

Blocking cost

Blocking ChatGPT-User may prevent your content from being used in ChatGPT responses, which could reduce visibility in AI-assisted interactions.

Examples

Related bots

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ChatGPT-User a crawler?

No, it is not a broad crawler. It only fetches pages when a user explicitly asks ChatGPT to access them.

Can I block ChatGPT-User with robots.txt?

Yes, you can add a Disallow rule for the ChatGPT-User user-agent. However, because the fetcher is user-initiated, robots.txt rules may not always be honored.

Does a visit from ChatGPT-User mean my page will be used for AI training?

Not necessarily. A visit indicates a user request, but it does not confirm that the content will be included in training data.

How can I verify a request is from ChatGPT-User?

Check the user-agent string, which contains 'ChatGPT-User/1.0' and a reference to openai.com/bot.

What is the difference between ChatGPT-User and other OpenAI bots?

ChatGPT-User is specifically for real-time, user-initiated fetches, while other OpenAI bots may perform automated crawling or indexing.

Data & Sources