According to TechCrunch, Poe is launching group chat functionality worldwide that lets users collaborate with up to 200 people across more than 200 AI models in a single conversation. The announcement came on Monday and includes text, image, video, and audio generators like Claude 4.5 Sonnet, GPT-5.1, and Sora 2 Pro. Users can start group chats directly from the Poe homepage and chat history syncs in real-time across all devices. This launch follows just days after OpenAI began piloting group chats in markets like Japan and South Korea. Quora developed the feature over six months and plans to continue improving it based on user feedback. The company says anyone can create custom bots for others to use in their groups.
The AI group chat wars begin
So here’s the thing – we’re witnessing the beginning of a new battleground in AI. OpenAI just started testing group chats in a few countries, and now Poe drops this worldwide launch. It’s basically an arms race to see who can become the go-to platform for collaborative AI experiences. And honestly, Poe might have an advantage here because they’re already the Switzerland of AI models – you get access to everything from Anthropic’s Claude to Google’s Gemini plus all these creator-made bots.
Why this actually matters
Look, most people think of AI chatbots as solo experiences – you ask questions, you get answers. But group chats completely change the dynamic. Suddenly you’ve got families planning vacations using multiple AI assistants simultaneously, teams brainstorming with different image generators, friends playing trivia games together. It transforms AI from a personal assistant into a social platform. The real magic here is that sync feature too – start on your desktop, continue on your phone without losing the thread. That’s the kind of seamless experience that keeps people coming back.
The bot economy just got interesting
What really caught my eye was that line about anyone creating custom bots for groups. Think about that for a second. We’re about to see an explosion of specialized bots designed specifically for group interactions. Quiz masters, travel planners, creative collaborators – the possibilities are endless. And with Poe’s announcement emphasizing they’re excited to see what users create, it feels like they’re betting big on community-driven innovation. This could become the app store moment for AI bots.
What’s coming next?
Now the question becomes: who follows? Google with Gemini group chats? Microsoft with Copilot teams? This feels like one of those features that will quickly become table stakes. And with Quora saying they developed this over six months and plan to keep improving, they’re clearly in it for the long haul. The Poe platform is positioning itself as the central hub where you don’t have to choose between AI models – you can use them all together. That’s a pretty compelling value proposition if they can make the experience smooth enough for everyday users.
