OpenAI extends the free ChatGPT with internet access, image analysis, data analysis, file upload and GPTs (custom chatbots).
Until now, all these features were only available in the paid version, ChatGPT Plus. Since mid-May, GPT-4o, a GPT-4 class multimodal model, is also available for free in ChatGPT for the first time.
OpenAI's extensive changes to its own offering could indicate the imminent launch of a new top-of-the-line model - rumors are that GPT-4.5 will be available in June. A brief leak of GPT-4.5 Turbo on the web suggests as much. When OpenAI introduced GPT-4o, it announced that it would soon share more about its new top-of-the-line models, so June seems reasonable.
The new model could then be added to the Plus version of ChatGPT to provide added value to paying customers. Alternatively, OpenAI could be preparing to launch its AI search engine, which is also expected to be free, or upgrade the ChatGPT Plus version with the numerous multimodal capabilities of GPT-4o. Both are expected in the coming months.
What's next for OpenAI?
In addition, OpenAI has announced that it has recently begun training a new top AI model, which is another step toward an AGI, or artificial general intelligence. There are different definitions of AGI, but in any case it should have logical abilities and be able to apply learned knowledge to a wide range of tasks.
This promised top model could already be the successor of GPT-5, which itself is not yet official and may not be called GPT-5. However, both Microsoft and OpenAI showed diagrams at technology events in May that promise a much more capable AI model for 2024. This could be GPT-5.
First leaks also confirm a significant improvement of GPT-5 over GPT-4. If GPT-5 is indeed released this fall or even this summer, the model is likely already in the testing and safety phase. The now announced start of training would then probably be OpenAI's next generation.
