Related post: Telex in the UK and Teleprinters I Remember.
T15 Telex Connection With ChatGPT AI
On 17 August 2025, BBC News reported (link is at the foot of this post) that the team at the Amberley Museum in West Sussex, UK, connected a telex machine to the ChatGPT AI (artificial intelligence) interface, making it possible for users to ask questions using this vintage telex machine with ChatGPT and receive replies.
The BBC’s report includes a screenshot showing a Creed 444 model, commonly known as the T15 telex machine. This is the same T15 telex machine shown in my accompanying photograph, taken at the Connected Earth section at Amberley Museum, where only one T15 telex machine is on display.
How was the T15 telex connection with ChatGPT established
The question of how the T15 telex connection with ChatGPT was established intrigued me. The BBC report, however, does not explain the technical process of linking the vintage T15 telex machine to the AI. Lacking specific technical knowledge myself, I consulted an AI interface, in my case Grok AI, to seek further information on how this might have been accomplished.
This is what I asked Grok
BBC News recently reported that a telex machine at the Amberley Museum in West Sussex, UK, has been connected to the ChatGPT interface, allowing users to ask questions and receive replies. This report is sparse in information. How did they interface this machine with ChatGPT, considering that the public switched telex network in the UK no longer exists?
The report carried a screenshot of a conversation between this telex machine and ChatGPT. One of the questions asked was “What will the weather be tomorrow? ChatGPT answered, “It doesn’t have real-time information, and a weather source should be consulted”. In my testing, I found it is possible to ask ChatGPT about the weather and receive a real-time answer. However, the answer quotes weather forecasting sources. This seems to contradict ChatGPT’s answer that it can’t provide real-time information.
This is Grok’s answer
1. How the Telex Machine is Interfaced with ChatGPT
Since the public switched telex network in the UK was discontinued, the Amberley Museum’s telex machine cannot rely on the original infrastructure. Instead, it’s likely that the museum has implemented a modern workaround to connect the vintage teleprinter to ChatGPT. Here are the probable technical approaches, based on available information and the operational context of telex systems:
- Hardware Interface for Signal Conversion: Telex machines operate using Baudot code (a 5-bit character encoding) transmitted over telegraph or telephone lines at low bit rates (typically 50 baud). To interface with ChatGPT, the telex machine’s electrical signals need translation into a format compatible with modern computing systems. This could be achieved using a custom interface device, such as a microcontroller or computer with a serial port adapter. For example:
- A microcontroller (e.g., Arduino or Raspberry Pi) could be connected to the telex machine’s input/output circuits to decode Baudot signals into ASCII or another modern text format.
- The microcontroller would then forward the decoded text to a computer or server running a ChatGPT API client or a similar AI interface.
- Responses from ChatGPT would be converted back into Baudot code and sent to the telex machine for printing, possibly with formatting adjustments (e.g., black for user input and red for AI responses, as noted in the Sussex Express).
- Internet-Based Connection to ChatGPT: Since ChatGPT is a cloud-based AI, the telex machine’s interface likely connects to OpenAI’s servers (or a local proxy) via the internet. This could involve:
- A local computer or server running software that communicates with the ChatGPT API (likely GPT-4 or GPT-5, given the 2025 context). The API accepts text input and returns responses, which are then relayed back to the telex machine.
- The rotary dial mentioned in the BBC report might simulate the connection process for user experience, triggering the software to initiate an API call rather than connecting to an actual telex network.
- Emulation or Simulation: Another possibility is that the telex machine is not directly interfacing with ChatGPT but is part of a simulated setup. The museum might use a modern computer to emulate telex functionality, capturing typed input and sending it to ChatGPT, with responses formatted to appear as telex output. This would simplify the integration but maintain the nostalgic experience of using a rotary dial and teleprinter.
- Offline or Local AI Instance: While less likely, the museum could be running a local instance of an AI model (not necessarily ChatGPT) tailored for the exhibit. However, the reports explicitly mention ChatGPT, suggesting a connection to OpenAI’s API, which requires internet access.
The exact implementation details are not public, but the involvement of volunteer David Waters suggests a bespoke solution, likely combining hardware signal conversion with software to handle API communication. The rotary dial and teleprinter mechanics are probably preserved for authenticity, with modern electronics handling the AI integration.
2. Contradiction in ChatGPT’s Weather Response
The BBC report’s screenshot shows ChatGPT responding to a weather query by stating it “doesn’t have real-time information” and suggesting a weather source be consulted, which contrasts with your experience of ChatGPT providing real-time weather answers by quoting forecasting sources. This discrepancy can be explained by several factors:
- Exhibit Configuration or Model Limitations: The Amberley Museum’s setup might use a specific configuration of ChatGPT (e.g., a restricted or older model like GPT-4 or a custom implementation) that lacks real-time data access. OpenAI’s models, including ChatGPT, typically don’t have direct real-time data but can access external sources through plugins or API integrations (e.g., weather APIs). If the museum’s interface doesn’t include such integrations, ChatGPT would default to stating it lacks real-time data.
- API or Prompt Customisation: The museum may have customised the ChatGPT prompt or API settings to limit responses to a predefined scope, avoiding real-time data to simplify the exhibit or ensure historical accuracy. For example, the system prompt might instruct ChatGPT to avoid external data queries or to respond as if operating in a historical context, aligning with the telex machine’s era.
- Version Differences: In August 2025, OpenAI has rolled out GPT-5 to all users, with variations like GPT-5 Thinking for Plus and Pro users. The museum’s setup might use a legacy model or a free-tier version with limited capabilities, which may not include real-time data integrations available in newer or premium versions. Your testing likely used a version with enhanced features, such as web search or weather API access.
- Caching or Predefined Responses: The exhibit might cache responses or use predefined answers for common questions like weather to ensure consistent performance on a low-speed telex system. The “no real-time information” response could be a hardcoded fallback to avoid delays or errors in the exhibit’s operation.
- Context of Your Testing: When you tested ChatGPT, it likely accessed real-time data through an integration (e.g., a weather API) and cited sources, which is a feature available in newer iterations or specific modes (e.g., DeepSearch mode in Grok 3, though this is unrelated to ChatGPT). The museum’s response may reflect a simpler setup without such integrations, leading to the apparent contradiction.
Conclusion by Grok
The Amberley Museum likely interfaces the telex machine with ChatGPT using a combination of hardware (to translate Baudot signals to modern text formats) and software (to communicate with OpenAI’s API over the internet), as the public telex network no longer exists. The setup probably involves a microcontroller or computer to bridge the vintage hardware with modern AI, with the rotary dial serving as a user-friendly trigger for the experience. The weather response contradiction arises from differences in model configuration, API settings, or exhibit-specific limitations, preventing ChatGPT from accessing real-time data in this context. For precise details on the implementation, contacting the Amberley Museum or David Waters directly would be necessary, as public reports lack technical specifics.
Disclaimer
AI answers may contain errors.
Have you visited the Connected Earth exhibition at Amberley Museum, and did you have the opportunity to participate in this T15 telex connection with ChatGPT?
Perhaps you are “in the know” and can provide a definitive answer about the technical aspects? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.
We now have a definitive answer, thanks to Sean Williams, who has valuably commented on this post. For further information, please have a look at this thread on the Telexforum.de forum, where you can find a BBC audio recording that adds additional information.
External Links
BBC report about T15 Telex Connection With ChatGPT AI at Amberley Museum.
Amberley Museum in West Sussex.
Connected Earth exhibition web page at Amberley Museum’s website.
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The Post Office Type 15 Teleprinter at Amberley is connected to the I-Telex network. This is an internet based community of telex collectors and enthusiasts.
http://WWW.I-TELEX.NET
There is an interface that connects to the system subscriber server, based on some excellent work by Fred Sonnenrein and Henning Treumann of Germany. There has been an increase in I-Telex subscribers in the UK since 2017, following one or two members seeing the system for the first time.
Currently the network has around 300 machines connected, and more are being added on a daily basis.
Hi Sean, Thank you for confirming this. I have heard of i-Telex but I failed to take that possibility into consideration.