OpenAI launches the branching feature, enabling ChatGPT to "do multiple things at once"

On September 5th, OpenAI recently launched a long-awaited new feature for ChatGPT - Branch Conversations.

This feature was widely anticipated as early as January 2025. Now, users can finally easily "fork" new conversation threads while retaining the context of the original conversation. This not only changes ChatGPT's previous single linear conversation mode but also upgrades it to an intelligent engine that supports multi-path exploration.

Whether you're involved in business strategy, product design, scientific research, or automation processes, this branching feature is far more than just an interface optimization. It represents a profound evolution in the way humans collaborate with AI.

However, unlike OpenAI's high-profile releases of GPT - 5, multimodal updates, etc., the launch of the branch conversation feature was rather low - key.

End the "One - Way Street": Let ChatGPT "Multitask"

Previously, users' conversations with ChatGPT were like a "one - way street." If we wanted to try other topics, it was best to open a new conversation window. Otherwise, it was easy to confuse the large model, and the original content might be lost.

Image: Netizens called on OpenAI to launch the branch conversation feature but didn't want the original conversation to become chaotic.

Now it's different. With the branch conversation feature, ChatGPT can "multitask." For example:

• Draft multiple alternative plans around an idea;
• Test multiple different strategies in parallel;
• Keep the original version and boldly try rewriting or adjusting.

This is like Git (an open - source distributed version control system) commonly used by programmers - except that this time, it's a version management specifically designed for AI conversations.

For enterprise users, branch conversations can reduce chaos, enhance organization, and speed up decision - making. For creators, it means more freedom to explore without worrying about "breaking the original and not being able to go back."

How to Operate Branch Conversations?

The whole process is very simple and only takes a few steps:

Hover over a message: Move the mouse over a message in the ChatGPT conversation;

Select branch: Click the "Branch in new chat" option that appears;

Automatically open a new thread: The system will create a new conversation, fully retaining all the context before that node;

Explore freely: You can continue to try different directions in the new branch without affecting the original conversation at all.

In other words, you can now fork multiple parallel versions from the same conversation and advance different ideas simultaneously.

From Marketing to Research: Branch Conversations Make Trial and Error More Efficient

Most people may only use the branch conversation feature to fine - tune copywriting or try different codes, but its real strength lies in more strategic scenarios, such as:

1. Marketing teams

Instead of asking ChatGPT to rewrite the title ten times in one conversation, marketing teams can create several branches: one with a bold style, one with a humorous style, and another with a data - emphasized style. The team can compare them side by side and easily select the best version.

2. Start - up companies

Before founders meet with investors, they can fork multiple versions of the business plan. For example, one highlights the product, one focuses on the market, and another emphasizes the financial model. It's clear at a glance which narrative is more appealing.

3. Consulting advisors

When designing solutions for clients, advisors can create multiple branches. For example, one focuses on automation, one on data governance, and another on cost - efficiency. Clients will see different strategies with context rather than isolated answers.

4. Creators

Creators can develop different storylines and try multiple endings in parallel without having to constantly switch between dozens of tabs.

5. Researchers

Researchers can also use the branch conversation feature to test different hypotheses: pushing the data model on one side and doing case analysis on the other, without interfering with each other but still belonging to the same conversation tree.

Overall, the branch conversation feature may not be very eye - catching. It's not multimodal, not GPT - 5, and won't go viral as a short video. But for those who are really using AI in their work, such as freelancers or enterprise teams, it may be one of the most noteworthy features this year.

Next time when you open ChatGPT, don't just think of it as chatting with you. Instead, imagine it as a tree - you can let it grow different branches and lead to more possibilities.

This article is from "Tencent Technology", author: Jin Lu. Republished by 36Kr with authorization.