OpenAI Quietly Launches ChatGPT Translate as Standalone Rival to Google

OpenAI released a dedicated web-based translation service called ChatGPT Translate on January 15, 2026, without a formal announcement or confirmation of the underlying AI model.

The tool, accessible at chatgpt.com/translate, supports translations to and from more than 50 languages with automatic detection for input text.

Users enter content in one pane, and the service generates output in a second pane, allowing refinements through preset prompts that adjust style and context.

But to get it to work properly as a translation service, you need to put a small prompt like "Translate this: " and then type your text, which you want to get translated into your selected language.

See the demo here:

If you don't add this short prompt, it will properly act just like ChatGPT and give you a detailed answer instead of the translation.

See the demo here:

The interface handles text, voice, and images, though image uploads remain unavailable on desktop versions as of the launch.

Mobile browsers permit microphone use for spoken input, delivering results in seconds.

OpenAI describes the capability as enabling users to "Go from English to Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, and more — while preserving intent."

The service also permits follow-up requests, such as "Translate this and make it more business formal."

No mobile app exists yet for the tool, which lacks features like document translation, handwriting recognition, or real-time conversation support.