WHATSAPP users have slammed the new ChatGPT bot feature as "outdated" after spotting a problem when asking some questions.

Anyone can now message the hugely popular AI tool directly within WhatsApp via a special number for free.

Just add 1-800-242-8478 to your contacts to start talking to ChatGPT.

ChatGPT owner OpenAI says one of the reasons it's decided to integrate within WhatsApp is because consistent access to high-speed data can be difficult and costly for some.

The firm claims you can ask ChatGPT anything, such as help with creative writing or project planning, as well as recommendations and chats about general topics such as news, hobbies or trivia.

But some users have already slammed the idea because it turns out that the data source used by ChatGPT on WhatsApp is cut off at January 2022.

This means the tool is clueless about anything that's happened after that date.

"ChatGPT on WhatsApp runs on a model nearly three years outdated, missing almost three years of knowledge," one user wrote on X.

"What's the point?"

A second person added: "ChatGPT on WhatsApp has January 2022 as cutoff date.

"Super outdated. Can't support images/media. Better use Meta AI instead."

OpenAI has described the feature as an experimental way to talk to the chatbot, and so availability and limits may change.

As such, it's encouraging anyone seeking a fuller experience to use the main ChatGPT service instead.

Integration with WhatsApp isn't the only work OpenAI has been working on recently.

Users in the US can also call up ChatGPT on 1-800-CHATGPT and ask questions that way too.

However, that too has a limit of 15 minutes use per month.