To join and engage with the official OpenAI Discord server, users need to verify their OpenAI account to gain access. The process typically involves:

• Going to Discord, clicking the plus "Add a Server" icon, then choosing "Join a Server."
• Typing "openai" as the invite link to join the official server.
• Completing the OpenAI verification by linking an active OpenAI account to the Discord account for security and access purposes.

The OpenAI Discord server is a community hub for discussions about ChatGPT, AI tools, developer updates, and general artificial intelligence topics. It hosts nearly 200,000 members and provides an interactive platform for users and developers interested in AI advancements. For developers wanting to integrate OpenAI features like GPT models within Discord, there are guides and code examples using Discord bots connected to OpenAI APIs enabling AI-powered chat and functionalities on servers. Thus, whether aiming to join the community or build AI-powered Discord bots using OpenAI, steps include joining via the invite, verifying the account, and then engaging within the server or building with APIs as needed.