How to use ChatGPT in Italy with a VPN (After embargo)

Since its release in November 2022, ChatGPT has proven to be a valuable resource for many of us. However, if you are not up to date, you will notice that you can no longer use the chatbot within the borders of Italy.

When you try to use ChatGPT to generate your next brilliant idea or to reduce your workload, you will meet with an unpleasant surprise. The Italian Data Protection Authority made Italy the first Western country to take action against an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot by banning ChatGPT. Yet, are we helpless in the face of this embargo?

Certainly not! If you want to keep using ChatGPT in Italy, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll show you how to use a VPN service to change your virtual location so that you can avoid the restrictions and use ChatGPT freely. Moreover, you can also subscribe to ChatGPT Plus in Italy. Without further ado, let’s get to work.


Analysis: When you try to use ChatGPT in Italy, you will see a notice stating that the chatbot is not available to Italian users. The national data agency, SA, expressed concerns about potential privacy violations and ordered OpenAI to stop processing data from Italian users temporarily. As a result, OpenAI has blocked Italian IP addresses, and users in Italy will be unable to use ChatGPT until the situation improves.

Solution: Because this restriction only applies to Italy (IPs and phone numbers), you can use ChatGPT by changing your virtual location. VPNs are the quickest and easiest way to accomplish this. When you connect to a VPN server, you can enhance your online security and privacy while also getting a new IP address from the server’s location. In other words, you can use ChatGTP in Italy by connecting to a VPN server in a country where ChatGTP is not restricted.

I’ll show you how to use AtlasVPN to connect to US servers and use ChatGPT in Italy. The United States is a country where VPN providers have invested, and have a large number of servers. In addition, the payment process will be easier in the United States for those who want to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus.

A quick guide to using ChatGPT in Italy with a VPN

  1. Visit AtlasVPN’s official website. It operates servers in seven cities across the United States.
  2. Select a plan by clicking the “Get BIG DEAL” button.
  3. On the payment screen, enter your email address and proceed with your preferred payment method.
  4. Log in to your account by clicking the link that was emailed to you.
  5. Download and install the VPN app for your device.
  6. Start the VPN app and connect to an available server by typing “United States” into the “Home” menu’s search bar.

When your connection is established, a blue man with a cape will appear on your AtlasVPN app. That indicates your virtual location is now in the United States, and you have a US IP address. With that, you can use ChatGPT freely in Italy.

By connecting to the US servers of AtlasVPN, you can use ChatGPT in Italy.

Our guide will be more than enough for someone who is familiar with VPN services and wants to get started with ChatGTP quickly. I didn’t, however, forget about those who want to learn more about VPN services, the ChatGPT ban in Italy, and other related topics. If you continue reading, you will find comprehensive answers to all of your questions.

Understanding the ChatGPT restriction in Italy

ChatGPT is no longer available in Italy as of April 2023. The reason for this was announced on the official website of the Italian Garante. In summary, it is claimed that Open AI illegally collects and processes private data, and despite the fact that the chatbot is intended for users over the age of 13, there is no age verification system in place for children in ChatGPT.

  • According to Garante: “A data breach affecting ChatGPT users’ conversations and information on payments by subscribers to the service had been reported on 20 March.”

Under these conditions, OpenAI has disabled access to ChatGPT from Italy. When you try to access ChatGPT from Italy, you will see the following message:

When you open ChatGPT in Italy, you will see a message stating that the chatbot is not available in Italy.
  • Statement: “Caro utente di ChatGPT, Siamo spiacenti di informarti che abbiamo disabilitato l’accesso a ChatGPT per gli utenti in Italia su richiesta del Garante per la protezione dei dati personali…”
  • English Translation: “Dear ChatGPT user, We regret to inform you that we have disabled ChatGPT for users in Italy at the request of the Italian Garante.”

Although the future is unknown, it appears that the ChatGTP restriction in Italy will remain in place for the foreseeable future. But does this mean that we must abandon ChatGTP in Italy?

How to use ChatGPT in Italy with a VPN

We must first understand how this restriction works in order to use ChatGTP in Italy. Open AI restricts access to users from Italy based on their IP addresses. When users with an Italian IP address attempt to access ChatGPT, they get automatically blocked. To use ChatGPT in Italy, we simply need to change our Italian IP address. VPNs are the quickest and most convenient solution in this regard. As a bonus, we will have an additional layer of online security and privacy.

When we connect to a VPN server, our online traffic is rerouted and encrypted through a secure tunnel. This process also hides our local IP address and assigns us a new IP address based on the VPN server’s location. We can bypass the restrictions in Italy and use ChatGPT freely by connecting to a VPN server in a country where the chatbot is not blocked.

So, does any VPN work to unblock ChatGPT in Italy, or should we look for something specific? Which VPN service server should we connect to? Can we use a free VPN service? How much will a good VPN cost us? All of these questions will be addressed in the following section.

Choosing the best VPN for ChatGPT

First and foremost, we require a VPN service capable of unblocking ChatGPT. Given that ChatGPT is not restricted in many countries, we are not bound by server locations when selecting a VPN. Regrettably, almost no free VPN services allow us to connect to a specific location.

ChatGPT requires a local phone number when creating an account, as well as a billing address for a ChatGPT Plus subscription. I prefer to use a VPN service with US servers to solve this issue more easily.

Note: Later in the article, I’ll explain how to find a local phone number and billing address in the United States.

Aside from the server location, we need a stable connection and a reasonable speed to work with ChatGPT, which requires a VPN with cutting-edge server technology. Other features we look for in a VPN provider include device compatibility, proper customer support, an affordable pricing policy, a money-back guarantee, and a large number of simultaneous connections.

AtlasVPN was the VPN service that satisfied me after I scoured the market for a VPN service that met these criteria. AtlasVPN currently operates 750+ servers in 49 locations around the world, including 7 in the United States. AtlasVPN’s New York server provided me with a download speed of 65.92 Mbps. Furthermore, with a monthly subscription fee of $1.82, it is one of the most affordable services on the market.

Here’s what you should do to get started with AtlasVPN:

  • Visit AtlasVPN’s official website.
  • Select a plan by clicking the “Get BIG DEAL” button.
  • Go to the payment page, enter your email address, and complete the payment using your preferred method.

AtlasVPN will send you an email with a link once the transaction has been completed.

VPN app installation

Now we’ll log into our account and install our VPN app. The first step in this is to check our emails.

  • Click the link in the email you received from AtlasVPN.
  • On the page that opens, download and install the VPN app compatible with your device.
  • Launch the app and log in with your email address or verification code.

That’s all there is to it. Your AtlasVPN is now available to use.

Connecting to the United States VPN server

Finally, we will locate the United States servers of AtlasVPN and change our IP address.

  • In Atlas VPN’s “Home” tab, type “United States” into the search bar.
  • From the list of options, click on an available server.
To get a US IP address, simply search for "United States" and select a server from AtlasVPN's home menu.

When you see the “Protected” notice, it means your connection is established and your Italian IP address is changed to a US IP address. Congratulations! You are virtually in the United States now.

Using ChatGPT in Italy

Let’s get back to ChatGPT to see if our US IP address has any effect.

  • Verify that you’re connected to one of AtlasVPN’s United States servers.
  • Go to the official website of ChatGPT at https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt
  • Click on “TryChatGPT.”
After connecting to AtlasVPN's US servers, you can use ChatGPT in Italy without limitations.

It appears that the VPN magic worked, and the ChatGPT restriction in Italy can be removed with a VPN connection.

Creating a ChatGPT account and buying ChatGPT Plus

If you only use the free version of ChatGPT, your old ChatGPT account may still work after connecting to a VPN server in the United States. However, if you are new to ChatGPT or wish to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus, you must create a new account. ChatGPT requires users to verify their phone numbers during the sign-up process, which requires a phone number from the United States. (Because we preferred to connect to a VPN server in the United States.) Don’t worry; I’ll walk you through getting a virtual US phone number.

First of all, let’s start by checking your VPN connection. After confirming you are still connected to AtlasVPN’s United States servers, go to OnlineSIM‘s website. You can find OnlineSIM at https://onlinesim.io/

Click the “Buy number” button on the website’s homepage and sign up with your email address. After you’ve created your account, navigate to the Refill Balance tab and choose your currency and the amount you want to top up. Transactions can be completed using a variety of methods. You can select the one that works best for you. Please keep in mind that purchasing a virtual SMS number for ChatGPT will cost $3.

To get a virtual phone number from the US, you must top up at least $3 to your OnlineSIM account.

We have funded our OnlineSIM account and are now ready to receive a virtual SMS number. But first, we must return to ChatGPT and create our new account.

  • Navigate to https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt and select “Try ChatGPT.”
  • On the next page, click “Sign up” and enter your email address.
  • Set a password for your account and activate it via email.
  • ChatGPT will ask you to verify your phone number after you enter your name and birthday.
ChatGPT will ask for a local phone number when you create a new account.
  • Return to your OnlineSIM account page and search for “USA” and “ChatGPT” under the “Receive SMS” tab.
You can buy a virtual phone number from the United States through OnlineSIM for ChatGPT.

When you click “$3.00,” OnlineSIM will generate a phone number in the United States for you. Copy and paste that number into your ChatGPT account page. ChatGPT will then send an activation code to that number. The code is located directly beneath your virtual phone number.

In OnlineSIM's Receive SMS tab, you can find your SMS activation code directly under your virtual phone number.

Your new ChatGPT account will be ready once you enter your SMS code. Please keep in mind that your virtual phone number is only valid for 15 minutes, and you must enter your SMS code quickly.

VPNs for ChatGPT in Italy (3 Alternatives)

AtlasVPN may have been my primary VPN provider. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other options for unblocking ChatGTP in Italy. Also, if AtlasVPN is unavailable for server maintenance or is blocked in Italy, we should be aware of other options.

I tested all three VPNs on this list and discovered that they all work around the ChatGTP restriction in Italy. For each service, you will find information such as server coverage, monthly fee, and speed performance below. By carefully comparing this information, you can select the VPN service that best suits your needs.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost is a VPN service based in Romania. CyberGhost provides worldwide coverage with over 9000 servers in 91 countries. Furthermore, 1422 of these servers are spread across 11 cities in the United States.

In my most recent speed test, I received a download speed of 57.54 Mbps from CyberGhost’s New York servers. Such a speed is more than adequate for a smooth ChatGPT session. CyberGhost also provides dedicated servers for streaming platforms.

Finally, let’s take a look at CyberGhost VPN’s pricing and extra features. CyberGhost offers reasonable pricing. A single CyberGhost account can support up to seven simultaneous connections, and the basic plan is only $2.11 per month. Furthermore, CyberGhost provides a 45-day money-back guarantee if you are dissatisfied with the service.

ExpressVPN

With over thirteen years of experience, this VPN provider based in the British Virgin Islands is one of the largest in the market. You can connect to one of ExpessVPN’s thousands of servers located in 94 countries around the world. Of course, the US is part of ExpressVPN’s coverage.

My most recent speed test resulted in a download speed of 45.89 Mbps using ExpressVPN’s New York servers. You can use ChatGTP and surf the internet as if you were not connected to a server in a foreign country when using ExpressVPN.

Everything may have appeared to be fine until now. ExpressVPN is, unfortunately, quite expensive when compared to the other options on our list. ExpressVPN’s basic plan is $6.67 per month and allows for five simultaneous connections with a single subscription. ExpressVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

VeePN

VeePN is yet another VPN service based in Panama that has been on the market since 2017. VeePN is currently available in 50 locations and has over 2500 servers. Furthermore, with its user-friendly app, VeePN is a good option for new VPN users.

The download speed I got from VeePN’s United States servers was 165.89 Mbps. This performance should be sufficient for ChatGPT to run smoothly. While VeePN offers such fast speeds, it is important to note that its server performance can be unpredictable.

Here is VeePN’s selling point. VeePN is one of the most affordable services available. VeePN accounts can support up to ten simultaneous connections and start at $1.67 per month.

Summing up the “Using ChatGPT in Italy with a VPN” article

ChatGPT has been disabled for Italian users following the latest intervention by the Italian Garante. This restriction is implemented through users’ IP addresses, as discussed in the article, so to use ChatGTP in Italy, we must change our Italian IP address.

VPNs are the most convenient and cost-effective way to change IP addresses. We simply need to connect to a VPN server in a country where ChatGTP is not restricted. To get a US IP address, I connected to the US servers of AtlasVPN.

AtlasVPN was my first choice for circumventing ChatGTP restrictions in Italy due to its competitive pricing and additional features. Alternative VPN services include CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and VeePN. After reviewing their features, you can choose your primary provider.

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