OpenAI unveils ‘GPT-4o’: a faster and easier-to-use AI system

OpenAI has unveiled the next version of ChatGPT that its making available to subscribers.

ChatGPT-4o is described by OpenAI as “much faster” and more user friendly with capabilities in text, video and audio content generation.

Mira Murati, OpenAI’s chief technology officer, in a livestream said “we are really making a huge step forward when it comes to the ease of use”.

The latest AI version will also be accessible via API for more advanced users.

Significantly, for the first time, free users will be able to access the leading AI model available – albeit, the company has yet to detail what comparative perks will be available for the paying OpenAI subscribers.

As well as being faster and more powerful, the GPT-4o is said to have more a more advanced audio interface and, according to Murati, it can “perceive your emotions”.

Microsoft-backed OpenAI has been at the bleeding edge of AI technology and its lead product ChatGPT has been the most impactful of all the ‘large language model’ AI systems to have emerged into widespread public use over the past eighteen months.

Nonetheless, projects from Google, Meta, and Amazon-backed Anthropic have appeared to be gaining traction in recent months.

OpenAI will be looking for its new round of enhancements rolled into GPT-4o are enough to keep it ahead of the pack.

Speculation prior to today’s livestream had suggested OpenAI may unveil an AI powered web search tool to challenge Google, or more insights into the impressive Sora video creation AI, or even an update on the hotly anticipated GPT5 AI which is believed to be significantly more powerful than any AI system released to date.