OpenAI provides users with a range of capabilities, even on its free-tier accounts. Although free users cannot create their own GPTs, they still have access to explore and interact with various custom GPTs created by others.

Step 1: Sign Up or Log In to OpenAI

Create an OpenAI Account: If you don’t have an account, go to OpenAI's website and sign up. If you already have an account, log in.  You can do this by clicking on the "Log In" button in the upper right hand corner of the screen.

Access the ChatGPT Dashboard: Once signed in, navigate to the ChatGPT section where you can start exploring different AI tools, including GPTs.

Step 2: Navigate to the GPT Store

Find the GPT Store: In the ChatGPT interface, there is an option to explore GPTs in the GPT Store. This store contains a collection of custom GPTs created by users from various fields and backgrounds, ranging from productivity tools to educational and entertainment models.  This is in the upper left hand corner of the screen, under "Explore GPTs"

Browse GPT Categories: The GPT Store organizes available GPTs into categories, such as productivity, education, lifestyle, and more. You can browse through the options or search for a specific type of GPT based on your interest or need.

Step 3: Explore Available GPTs

Choose a GPT: Click on any GPT from the list to see more details about its purpose, functionalities, and how it interacts with users. This gives you insight into what each GPT can do before you start interacting with it.  

Step 4: Manage Usage Limits

Understand Free Tier Limits: As a free user, you’ll have access to GPTs but are subject to rate limits. These rate limits are shared across other features like using GPT-4o in ChatGPT. If you hit your limit, you will have to wait until your rate resets to continue using the service.

Created with assistance from ChatGPT.  (used to generate ideas and editing)
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT-4o (Sept 2024 version). [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat