OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announces GPT-4.5 and GPT-5 with major upgrades

Sam Altman

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has shared the company’s plans for its next AI models. The company will soon launch new AI and advanced AI models including the GPT-4.5, followed by GPT-5, the new models are expected to bring major changes to how its AI works.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said, "We want AI to 'just work' for you; we realize how complicated our model and product offerings have gotten." He also admitted that the current model selection process is confusing. "We hate the model picker as much as you do and want to return to magic unified intelligence," he added.

GPT-4.5

The next release will be GPT-4.5, which OpenAI previously referred to as "Orion" internally. It will be the last model that does not use "chain-of-thought" reasoning, a technique that helps AI think in steps.

After GPT-4.5, OpenAI aims to merge its two model series: the "o-series" and the "GPT-series." The new models will be able to decide when to spend more time thinking or act quickly, depending on the task. This is expected to make the AI more useful for a wider range of applications.

GPT-5

GPT-5 will be a major update. It will integrate several technologies, including OpenAI’s latest model, o3. As part of this change, OpenAI will not release o3 as a separate model.

One of the biggest announcements is that GPT-5 will be available for free to all ChatGPT users, though with limits to prevent abuse. "The free tier of ChatGPT will get unlimited chat access to GPT-5 at the standard intelligence setting (!!), subject to abuse thresholds," Altman stated.

Subscribers to ChatGPT Plus will have access to a smarter version of GPT-5, while Pro users will get an even more advanced version. These models will include features like voice interaction, a drawing canvas, search tools, and deep research capabilities.

With these updates, OpenAI is simplifying its AI offerings and making them more powerful and user-friendly. The company’s goal is to create a seamless AI experience that works effortlessly for everyone.