OpenAI unveiled an upgraded version of its AI technology, which powers the popular ChatGPT tool, making it available for free to all users.
This announcement came just a day before Google is set to reveal updates about Gemini, its own AI tool that competes directly with ChatGPT.
“We’re very excited to bring GPT-4o to all of our free users out there,” stated Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati at the eagerly awaited launch event in San Francisco.
According to OpenAI, the new model will be integrated into their products over the next few weeks.
During the virtual event, Murati and OpenAI engineers showcased the enhanced capabilities of GPT-4o by posing questions and challenges to the advanced version of the ChatGPT chatbot.
“We know that these models get more and more complex, but we want the experience of interaction to actually become more natural, easy,” Murati explained before the demonstration.
The demo included asking questions to a ChatGPT that could respond in Italian, interpreting facial expressions, and solving complex math equations.
This event marks the latest development in the competitive AI landscape, where OpenAI, supported by Microsoft, has surged ahead, making Microsoft the world’s largest company by market capitalization, surpassing Apple.
OpenAI and Microsoft are in fierce competition with Google for dominance in the generative AI space, with other contenders like Facebook-owner Meta and newcomer Anthropic also vying for a significant presence.
All these companies are seeking ways to offset the high costs of generative AI, primarily driven by the expensive GPU semiconductors provided by chip giant Nvidia.
Currently, less advanced versions of OpenAI and Google’s chatbots are available for free, leaving the question of whether the general public is willing to pay for sustained access to these technologies unanswered.
