OpenAI has officially expanded the highly anticipated "Branch Conversations" feature to iOS and Android mobile platforms, marking ChatGPT's full entry into the "multi-threaded conversation" era. From now on, users can create multiple parallel branches within a single conversation, regardless of whether they are using a computer or a mobile device, freely exploring different ideas without worrying about overwriting or losing the original context.

The so-called "branch conversations" allow users to "fork" a new path from any node in the current chat. For example, when developing a marketing plan, three branches can be created from the same market analysis to try aggressive, conservative, and innovative strategies; when writing a novel, the protagonist can take different fates at key plot points; when researching technical solutions, multiple hypotheses can be tested in parallel. Each branch is saved independently and can be switched at any time, without interfering with each other.

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Before this feature was launched, ChatGPT conversations were more like a "one-way street"—once you deviated from the main line, either the original content was overwritten or a new chat window had to be opened, causing fragmented context and interrupted thoughts. Many users had to manually copy and paste key information, which was inefficient and error-prone. Since the branch feature was first introduced on the web version in September 2024, user feedback has been positive, and the lack of support on mobile devices became a major pain point. Now, this gap has finally been filled.

OpenAI stated that the branch function is especially suitable for advanced scenarios requiring deep exploration and repeated trial and error, such as business decisions, academic research, creative writing, and complex problem decomposition. It not only enhances the practicality of ChatGPT as a "thinking partner," but also upgrades it from a "Q&A tool" to a "thinking collaborator."

With full mobile support, users can flexibly switch between different thinking paths during commutes, meeting breaks, or spare time, truly achieving "multi-threaded thinking anytime, anywhere." This update may seem minor, but it greatly unleashes the potential of generative AI in real workflows—after all, human thinking is not linear, and AI is finally beginning to understand this.