ChatGPT is not accessible in every single country: to name a few, China, Russia, and North Korea have already banned it. Due to concerns about how the platform is collecting and processing user data, some European countries, including Ireland, France, and Germany, are also looking into options for blocking it.
Don’t want to worry about ChatGPT being banned? The best way to access it from anywhere is with a VPN. A VPN lets you change your IP address, allowing you to access ChatGPT and unblock restricted content. It also encrypts your internet traffic to keep your activities private while at it.
NordVPN is a reliable VPN that can unblock ChatGPT in Cuba, Iran, or anywhere else it might be banned. NordVPN is incredibly fast, so you won’t experience any delay when using the program. The VPN service also has 5,500+ servers across the globe that will allow you to easily access ChatGPT, no matter where you are.
All you need to do is to download and install NordVPN on your device and connect to a server in any country where ChatGPT is available (which is virtually everywhere!).
Read the full article to learn all about the ChatGPT ban and how a VPN can help unblock it for you.
ChatGPT revolutionized the AI landscape, setting the benchmark for what generative AI is capable of. You just type in a question, and it has an answer. People use ChatGPT for many things, from writing code to creating content. It processes tons of data every hour from users across the globe, which gives rise to serious concerns.
China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia have already blocked the OpenAI chatbot. In March 2023, Italy followed as the first Western country to ban the program. While Italians’ access to ChatGPT has been restored, other European countries are looking into banning ChatGPT, citing privacy concerns.
Is there a way around a ChatGPT ban? You can use a virtual private network (VPN) to spoof your location and access the AI assistant. Plus, a VPN encrypts your internet traffic, making it hard for a third party to track you. At VPNOverview, we test numerous VPNs every single day. In this guide, we walk you through the best VPN services for accessing ChatGPT and how to set them up. Let’s get started.
How to Access ChatGPT From Any Country Where It’s Blocked
Although you can use proxy servers or Tor, a VPN is by far the most effective way to bypass ChatGPT geoblocks. VPNs can easily bypass geoblocking restrictions, while proxies tend to be blocked more easily. VPNs are also much more stable. Since both the GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 models of ChatGPT do a fair bit of processing when you send a query, the tool might stop working if you don’t have a consistent, stable connection.
Below is an easy, step-by-step guide to accessing OpenAI ChatGPT with a VPN. We’ll use NordVPN, the best VPN for ChatGPT, as an example, but these steps apply to any VPN service.
- Download and install NordVPN. You can find VPN software on your device’s app store, but it’s best to go through the VPN’s website so you can avoid possible copycats and make sure you get the official app. The top VPNs offer apps for all operating systems, including Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and Linux, as well as browser extensions.
- Launch the VPN app and connect to a server location where ChatGPT is allowed. With NordVPN, you could connect to a server in the US to get a US IP address.
- Go to ChatGPT’s website and start interacting with the AI. It should be working perfectly fine now.
If it doesn’t work the first time, close ChatGPT, clear your caches, and connect to a different VPN server in a country that hasn’t blocked the AI.
The Three Best VPNs for ChatGPT
A good ChatGPT VPN should be able to change your IP address without any IP or DNS leaks and fast speeds for giving quick answers. It should also offer robust encryption and decent security to bypass censorship. Let’s go through our top 3 VPNs for ChatGPT.
1. NordVPN: A secure and fast VPN for ChatGPT
What We Like
- More privacy with AES-256 encryption
- Fast connection speeds
- Double VPN servers for extra online protection
- Trustworthy VPN that won't store your data
What We Don't Like
- Limited multi-language support
After extensively testing dozens of VPNs against ChatGPT geo-blocks, we’ve concluded that NordVPN is the best VPN to unblock ChatGPT. We’ve tested NordVPN extensively, and it’s currently at the top of our list as the overall best VPN. You can choose from a large server network of over 5,000 servers in 60 countries, giving you plenty of options to access ChatGPT.
NordVPN doesn’t leak your DNS or IP address, so you can easily use ChatGPT for prolonged sessions. In countries with strict regulations like China, where VPN use is frowned upon, NordVPN’s kill switch automatically terminates your connection when the VPN connection drops. This way, you can make sure none of your data is accidentally leaked through your unprotected connection.
NordVPN is also our top-rated VPN for accessing other AI tools. We have also used it to unblock Imagine with Meta AI and access it from outside the US.
In short, with NordVPN you can use ChatGPT for as long as you want without worrying about connection lags or drops. It’s a fast VPN that’s stable and can easily help you unblock OpenAI’s chatbot.
- Fast and large worldwide network of VPN servers
- Perfect for privacy and streaming
- Trusted by many, with over 14 million users
Would you like to know more about this provider? We did a full, in-depth review of NordVPN where we discuss all of its features as well as its app and installation process.
2. Surfshark: An affordable and feature-rich ChatGPT VPN
What We Like
- Excellent speeds
- Unlimited connections: use it on all your devices
- WireGuard for fast connectivity
What We Don't Like
- No dedicated IPs
Surfshark is a great choice for accessing ChatGPT, largely thanks to its server coverage in 100 countries. It offers super-fast speeds both on local and distant servers. That way, you won’t experience lags and ChatGPT will respond quickly to your prompts.
Furthermore, Surfshark boasts many handy security features, including CleanWeb (an ad, malware, and tracker blocker), NoBorders Mode (a good fit for ChatGPT in restrictive countries), and other features like a stealth VPN option.
If you need a cheap VPN to unblock ChatGPT, Surfshark is a great choice.
- Very user-friendly and works with Netflix and torrents
- 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked!
- Cheap with many extra options
You can read more about Surfshark’s tracker blocker and unblocking options in our full Surfshark review. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee that you can take advantage of.
3. ExpressVPN: A beginner-friendly VPN service
What We Like
- Beginner-friendly
- Large server spread
- Obfuscated servers so you won't run into blocks
- Strict no-logs policy for privacy
What We Don't Like
- Expensive
ExpressVPN gets just about everything right. Its servers are spread across 94 countries, giving you more than enough options to access ChatGPT even if more countries block it.
For people new to VPNs, ExpressVPN is the ideal choice. It’s easy to download, install, and use. With regards to speeds, ExpressVPN is not the fastest, but it has a built-in speed test feature to help you pick the fastest server right off the bat.
The only drawback? It’s relatively expensive compared to other options, like Surfshark. However, you get an incredibly high level of quality in return. ExpressVPN is known for its consistently stable connections. It does what it’s supposed to do, and does it well.
- Very easy-to-use VPN
- Perfect for anonymous browsing, downloading, and streaming (i.e., Netflix)
- Thousands of servers in 105 countries
Our in-depth ExpressVPN review will tell you more about how this provider can be of use to you beyond unblocking ChatGPT.
Countries Where ChatGPT is Banned
As of the time of writing, the following countries have banned ChatGPT:
- China
- Iran
- North Korea
- Russia
- Cuba
- Syria
For a brief period, Italy had ChatGPT banned, too. The Italian government already indicated it might lift the restriction if OpenAI (ChatGPT’s parent company) complied with EU regulations.
In response, OpenAI has made several changes to address the issues raised. An age-verification tool has been implemented, and users can now view ChatGPT’s privacy policy ahead of registration. On top of that, users in the European Union maintain the right to object to ChatGPT’s use of personal data to train its models.
Italy has since lifted the ban on ChatGPT. However, many European governments remain cautious. Other bans, temporary or not, are not unlikely.
Will more countries ban ChatGPT?
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has called for all EU countries to investigate ChatGPT and similar chatbots. Italy’s previous ban has inspired other EU countries to explore the possibility of banning or restricting ChatGPT.
Here’s a summary of the actions some countries are taking, according to a report by Reuters.
| Country | Status |
|---|---|
| France and Ireland | Privacy authorities are investigating possibilities for a ban on ChatGPT. |
| Germany | Ulrich Kelber, head of Germany’s federal data protection authority, granted an interview to the Handelsblatt newspaper stating that it was possible for Germany to ban ChatGPT. He added that such a ban would fall under state authorities since OpenAI is a company. |
| Sweden | Regulators in Sweden are currently not considering a ban. |
| Spain | Spanish authorities did not rule out a future investigation into ChatGPT and its privacy concerns. |
| UK | The UK’s data protection authority, the International Commissioner’s Office (ICO), has warned companies generating and using such AI tools to comply with data protection laws or face sanctions. |
Why countries ban ChatGPT
All over the world, national authorities and cybersecurity experts have raised legal and ethical, and privacy concerns about ChatGPT and similar software. In some cases, these concerns are deemed so alarming that they resulted in country-wide bans. Some of the main issues raised are the following:
- OpenAI doesn’t provide information to users and data subjects about what kind of data is collected and how it’s used.
- It seems there’s no legal basis for OpenAI to collect troves of information about users.
- ChatGPT processes inaccurate data, since the information it provides doesn’t always match real data.
- AI software might have been trained on questionable sources, which can result in biased or misleading information.
With technology developing as quickly as it does, it makes sense that the rules surrounding it fall behind. Only time will tell how different countries and communities deal with these new possibilities. Laws will be put into place as AI software continues to grow.
A ban on technology could be seen as a temporary delay of the advancement of AI, so the use of it will be more effective and less error-prone than it currently is. This seems to have been the case for Italy.
Why You Need a VPN to Access ChatGPT and Get Around a Ban
If you attempt to open ChatGPT from a country where the platform is banned, you’ll receive a notification telling you ChatGPT is disabled for users in that location. With a VPN, you can easily bypass these restrictions.
Besides being able to get around a ChatGPT ban, however, there are other benefits to using a VPN for the AI chatbot. A VPN drastically improves your privacy and security.
AI programs can be used to collect and generate personal and sensitive information about people, which can cause harm. Hackers can also use it to fast-track their activities.
While a VPN can’t protect you from all of the issues that come with ChatGPT, it does keep your online activities and location under wraps, meaning the AI cannot store it in its gigantic database. As long as your VPN connection is activated, your data is properly secured and you can easily unblock ChatGPT from anywhere.
What the Future Holds for ChatGPT and Other AI Chatbots
Concerns about AI have led to a coalition of more than 5,000 people signing an open letter asking all AI labs to pause work on such chatbots for six months. Signatories include popular names like Elon Musk (CEO of SpaceX, Tesla, and Twitter) and Steve Wozniak (Co-founder, Apple).
Our team of experts at VPNOverview is keeping an eye on the situation and will regularly update our coverage based on the latest developments.
In the meantime, you can do yourself a world of good by getting a VPN. That way, even if ChatGPT is banned in your location, you’ll be able to access it. With a VPN, you can also access Google Bard and unblock Anthropic Claude, ChatGPT’s direct competitors, from anywhere in the world. A VPN also offers greater peace of mind, allowing you to access restricted content from anywhere in the world.
Still have questions about ChatGPT? We’ve addressed the most common concerns in our FAQ below. Click on a question to reveal the answer.
Countries might ban ChatGPT for security or privacy reasons. Several countries, including Russia, China, and Iran, have already banned ChatGPT. In Europe, authorities have also expressed concerns that the OpenAI chatbot collects too much user data and isn’t transparent. It’s not unlikely more countries will place restrictions on ChatGPT.
Don’t want to worry about bans? You can use a VPN if you want to access ChatGPT in any other country where it’s blocked.
ChatGPT was temporarily banned in Italy, but is accessible again. In early April, the Italian data protection watchdog Garante banned ChatGPT. In response, OpenAI has reviewed its operations and made several changes, including an age verification tool. Even so, authorities remain cautious.
Yes, it does. You can use a VPN to unblock ChatGPT if the country you’re in has blocked access to the website. All you have to do is to connect to a VPN server in a country where ChatGPT hasn’t been blocked or restricted.
NordVPN is the best VPN to access ChatGPT, thanks to its excellent unblocking ability, fast speeds, and robust security features.
ChatGPT is an AI tool created by OpenAI that uses natural language processing to have human-like conversations. The chatbot was trained using Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF) to understand questions and prompts and provide human-like responses.
ChatGPT is able to perform a wide range of from solving math problems and creating content to writing music and debugging code.
