If it smells like ChatGPT, looks like ChatGPT, and sort of uses ChatGPT… is it still ChatGPT?

2025-10-01

If it smells like ChatGPT, looks like ChatGPT, and sort of uses ChatGPT… is it still ChatGPT? I was meeting with a friend recently, and he was puzzled. He told me, “ChatGPT just isn’t working the way people say it does. I can’t even build a custom GPT. But I’m paying for it!” Naturally, I asked: “How much are you paying?” He replied: “$60 a year. I’m on the Pro plan.” And that’s when it hit me. I said: “Dude, that’s not ChatGPT. You got scammed.” My friend subscribed to a third-party wrapper. It looked like ChatGPT, it used OpenAI’s models, but it wasn’t actually ChatGPT. They even use kind-of the same logo! But… no custom GPTs, no official updates, and questionable data handling—all for a bargain price that wasn’t really a bargain. Here’s the lesson: in today’s world of AI hype, it’s easy to fall for tools that look official but aren’t. Be very careful and very aware of what you’re using. Always make sure you’re working with the real tools, not just clones or wrappers pretending to be the real deal. Stay sharp. Not every chatbot with “GPT” in the name is ChatGPT. And that’s why I am starting today a many-weeks overview of the main tools that you should know to future-proof yourself. No scams. No copycats. The real ones.