GPT-4.5: OpenAI’s Ambitious but Elusive Model
While the improvements feel as incremental as its name suggests, GPT-4.5 is still OpenAI’s most ambitious drop to date. Released in late February as a research preview, GPT-4.5 uses more computing power than its previous models and was trained on more data.
The Mysterious GPT-4.5
So, just how big is the GPT-4.5 research preview? Who knows—since the developers won’t say. And where did this additional training data come from? Their lips are zipped on that as well. To borrow a line from Apple TV’s hit show Severance, right now OpenAI is positioning the alleged improvements in this new model as mysterious and important.
Comparing AI Benchmark Tests
When comparing AI benchmark tests from competitors’ models as well as OpenAI’s "reasoning" releases, the benefits of using GPT-4.5 are not immediately clear. Though, in the model’s system card and in a previous interview with WIRED, the OpenAI researchers who worked on GPT-4.5 claimed improvements can be felt in the anthropomorphic aspects of the model, like a stronger intuition and a deeper understanding of emotion.
A Deeper Understanding of Emotion
After sitting in OpenAI’s office last year and listening to leadership talk about the startup’s plan to further productize ChatGPT as useful software, this was not the release I expected in 2025. Rather than take a more utilitarian approach, this model attempts to be more emotional.
OpenAI’s Path to AGI
OpenAI has steadily grown its number of enterprise contracts, so the company could be expected to put out tentpole releases with baked-in, practical applications, especially inside the most expensive and powerful version of its chatbot. However, GPT-4.5 is more aligned with the output from an academic research group pouring everything they have into chasing artificial general intelligence, a theoretical version of the algorithm that’s deft enough to replace white-collar workers and practically God-like in its ability to process information.
How to Access GPT-4.5
As with most of the new features and models that arrive for ChatGPT, OpenAI’s paid subscribers will be the first to gain access to GPT-4.5. In this case, OpenAI is unlocking access first for ChatGPT Pro subscribers who pay a hefty $200 a month. The large rollout of GPT-4.5 to the other paid tiers—Plus, Team, Enterprise, and Edu—will happen during this week and the next. Past models have eventually trickled down to the free version of ChatGPT as well, but the company does not yet have a plan to release GPT-4.5 to all users, due to its size and computing requirements.
First Impressions of OpenAI’s New Model
The draft headline I put on this article was “With GPT-4.5, OpenAI Gets Lost in the AGI Sauce.” And while no headline featuring the model’s name is going to feel poetic, that’s a bit of a mess. Writing strong, succinct headlines is a difficult skill requiring clear communication as well as a level of aesthetic taste—often involving the input of multiple editors before the perfect message is conveyed. I was curious about whether ChatGPT would be able to punch up that headline, so I tried to do that using both the newest model and GPT-4o, a past release the company describes as “great for most tasks.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, GPT-4.5 is OpenAI’s most ambitious drop to date, but its incremental improvements may not be immediately clear. While the model’s anthropomorphic aspects show promise, the lack of transparency around its training data and computing power raises questions about its capabilities. As OpenAI continues to push the boundaries of AI, it will be interesting to see how GPT-4.5 evolves and how it will impact the future of AI development.
FAQs
Q: What is GPT-4.5 and how does it differ from previous OpenAI models?
A: GPT-4.5 is OpenAI’s latest research preview, using more computing power and trained on more data than its previous models.
Q: What are the benefits of using GPT-4.5?
A: OpenAI claims that GPT-4.5 shows improvements in anthropomorphic aspects, such as a stronger intuition and a deeper understanding of emotion.
Q: How do I access GPT-4.5?
A: OpenAI’s paid subscribers, specifically ChatGPT Pro subscribers, will have access to GPT-4.5 first. The large rollout to other paid tiers will happen during the next few weeks.
Q: Will GPT-4.5 be available to all users?
A: No, GPT-4.5 will not be available to all users, due to its size and computing requirements.
