Rakuten Viber has announced a new partnership with OpenAI that brings ChatGPT-powered tools directly into the messaging app for users in the Philippines, at no extra cost.
The features are now live on the latest versions of Viber for iOS and Android, with desktop support coming later. No ChatGPT account is required to use most of the new tools, though connecting one unlocks higher daily usage limits and access to the Image Remix feature.
For Filipino users, this means AI tools that previously required downloading a separate app are now built into a messenger many already use daily for family group chats, work coordination, and small business transactions. A paid ChatGPT account is not required, though existing users can connect their credentials to get higher limits for some features.
The rollout adds four main tools to the app. ChatGPT now has a dedicated contact and tab in Viber, letting users ask questions or get help with tasks without leaving the app, and users can tag ChatGPT in conversations for suggestions or answers. ChatGPT’s replies appear visually distinct from regular messages so it’s clear when a response comes from the AI rather than another person.
Link Summary lets users tap a button under a shared article or document to get a quick rundown of its contents. This feature is turned on by default in all group chats. Chat Summary works similarly for conversations themselves: with one tap, users get a private summary of a conversation, visible only to them, to help catch up on missed messages or agreed-upon plans.
Image Remix, powered by ChatGPT’s image tools, lets users edit photos directly inside chats using ready-made templates, while a separate pen icon can rewrite or translate a message before it’s sent.
Rakuten Viber chief executive Ofir Eyal said the goal is to make the tools accessible to people who might not otherwise try AI on their own. “Partnering with OpenAI means we can bring ChatGPT to our users in the Philippines to add real, day-to-day value – even if they would never have sought it out on their own,” he said.
Torben Severson, OpenAI’s vice president and head of global business development, framed the partnership around where people already spend their time. “Messaging is where so much of everyday life happens. With ChatGPT in Viber, people can get helpful, creative support right in the moment, from finding the right words to catching up on busy chats or remixing a photo,” he said.
On privacy, Viber says only the specific message or file a user submits gets sent to OpenAI, not the rest of the conversation. OpenAI will only process specific texts, images, or requests users choose to send, never account data or an entire chat, and that data is kept for only a limited time and is not used to train other OpenAI models.
