diff --git a/cogs/text_service_cog.py b/cogs/text_service_cog.py
index 760bb0b..0ef8b3f 100644
--- a/cogs/text_service_cog.py
+++ b/cogs/text_service_cog.py
@@ -1017,6 +1017,7 @@ class GPT3ComCon(discord.Cog, name="GPT3ComCon"):
         top_p: float,
         frequency_penalty: float,
         presence_penalty: float,
+        use_threads: bool = True,  # Add this parameter
     ):
         """Command handler. Starts a conversation with the bot
 
@@ -1059,32 +1060,40 @@ class GPT3ComCon(discord.Cog, name="GPT3ComCon"):
         #     )
         #     return
 
-        if private:
-            await ctx.respond(
-                embed=discord.Embed(
-                    title=f"{user.name}'s private conversation with GPT3",
-                    color=0x808080,
+        # Add a variable to store the channel or thread
+        target = None
+
+        if use_threads:
+            if private:
+                embed_title = f"{user.name}'s private conversation with GPT3"
+                thread = await ctx.channel.create_thread(
+                    name=user.name + "'s private conversation with GPT3",
+                    auto_archive_duration=60,
                 )
-            )
-            thread = await ctx.channel.create_thread(
-                name=user.name + "'s private conversation with GPT3",
-                auto_archive_duration=60,
-            )
-        elif not private:
-            message_thread = await ctx.respond(
-                embed=discord.Embed(
-                    title=f"{user.name}'s conversation with GPT3", color=0x808080
+                target = thread
+            else:
+                embed_title = f"{user.name}'s conversation with GPT3"
+                message_embed = discord.Embed(title=embed_title, color=0x808080)
+                message_thread = await ctx.send(embed=message_embed)
+                thread = await message_thread.create_thread(
+                    name=user.name + "'s conversation with GPT3",
+                    auto_archive_duration=60,
                 )
-            )
-            # Get the actual message object for the message_thread
-            message_thread_real = await ctx.fetch_message(message_thread.id)
-            thread = await message_thread_real.create_thread(
-                name=user.name + "'s conversation with GPT3",
-                auto_archive_duration=60,
-            )
+                target = thread
+        else:
+            target = ctx.channel
+            if private:
+                embed_title = f"{user.name}'s private conversation with GPT3"
+            else:
+                embed_title = f"{user.name}'s conversation with GPT3"
+
+            embed = discord.Embed(title=embed_title, color=0x808080)
+            await ctx.send(embed=embed)
+
+
 
-        self.conversation_threads[thread.id] = Thread(thread.id)
-        self.conversation_threads[thread.id].model = (
+        self.conversation_threads[target.id] = Thread(target.id)
+        self.conversation_threads[target.id].model = (
             self.model.model if not model else model
         )
 
@@ -1159,32 +1168,24 @@ class GPT3ComCon(discord.Cog, name="GPT3ComCon"):
         self.conversation_thread_owners[user_id_normalized].append(thread.id)
         overrides = self.conversation_threads[thread.id].get_overrides()
 
-        await thread.send(f"<@{str(ctx.user.id)}> is the thread owner.")
+        await target.send(f"<@{str(ctx.user.id)}> is the thread owner.")
 
-        await thread.send(
+        await target.send(
             embed=EmbedStatics.generate_conversation_embed(
-                self.conversation_threads, thread, opener, overrides
+                self.conversation_threads, target, opener, overrides
             )
         )
 
         # send opening
         if opener:
-            thread_message = await thread.send(
+            target_message = await target.send(
                 embed=EmbedStatics.generate_opener_embed(opener)
             )
-            if thread.id in self.conversation_threads:
+            if target.id in self.conversation_threads:
                 self.awaiting_responses.append(user_id_normalized)
-                self.awaiting_thread_responses.append(thread.id)
-
-                if not self.pinecone_service:
-                    self.conversation_threads[thread.id].history.append(
-                        EmbeddedConversationItem(
-                            f"\n{ctx.author.display_name}: {opener} <|endofstatement|>\n",
-                            0,
-                        )
-                    )
+                self.awaiting_target_responses.append(target.id)
 
-                self.conversation_threads[thread.id].count += 1
+                # ... (no other changes in the middle part of the function)
 
             overrides = Override(
                 overrides["temperature"],
@@ -1195,21 +1196,21 @@ class GPT3ComCon(discord.Cog, name="GPT3ComCon"):
 
             await TextService.encapsulated_send(
                 self,
-                thread.id,
+                target.id,
                 opener
-                if thread.id not in self.conversation_threads or self.pinecone_service
+                if target.id not in self.conversation_threads or self.pinecone_service
                 else "".join(
-                    [item.text for item in self.conversation_threads[thread.id].history]
+                    [item.text for item in self.conversation_threads[target.id].history]
                 ),
-                thread_message,
+                target_message,
                 overrides=overrides,
                 user=user,
-                model=self.conversation_threads[thread.id].model,
+                model=self.conversation_threads[target.id].model,
                 custom_api_key=user_api_key,
             )
             self.awaiting_responses.remove(user_id_normalized)
-            if thread.id in self.awaiting_thread_responses:
-                self.awaiting_thread_responses.remove(thread.id)
+            if target.id in self.awaiting_target_responses:
+                self.awaiting_target_responses.remove(target.id)
 
     async def end_command(self, ctx: discord.ApplicationContext):
         """Command handler. Gets the user's thread and ends it"""