OpenAI Releases Smaller, More Efficient AI Model Amid Hype Surrounding DeepSeek’s Open-Source Offering
New Model, o3-mini, Breaks Down Difficult Problems to Solve Them
OpenAI is making a smaller, more efficient version of its cleverest artificial intelligence model, o3-mini, available for free as it seeks to answer the hype and enthusiasm surrounding a new open-source offering from Chinese AI startup DeepSeek. WIRED previously reported that OpenAI was prepping the new model for release on January 31.
Advantages of o3-mini
o3-mini, which OpenAI teased in December, is a smaller version of the model that features the most advanced AI reasoning capabilities of any OpenAI offering to date. The model can break difficult problems into constituent parts in order to figure out how best to solve them. "This powerful and fast model advances the boundaries of what small models can achieve," the company said in a blog post announcing o3-mini’s availability.
Availability
OpenAI is making o3-mini available to all Plus, Team, and Pro users of ChatGPT. Users of the free version of ChatGPT will also be able to try o3-mini but won’t be able to send as many queries, the company says.
Background
OpenAI has been recruiting PhD students to help train a new model for some time. Several weeks ago, the company began recruiting PhD computer science students at $100 per hour for a "research collaboration" that would "involve working on unreleased models," according to an email viewed by WIRED. OpenAI also appears to have been recruiting PhD students with expertise in other areas through a company called Mercor that it regularly uses to find staff for model training.
Impact
The news comes as DeepSeek’s R1 continues to roil the US tech industry. The fact that such a powerful model could be released for free puts pressure on Google and Anthropic to lower their prices. OpenAI is particularly eager to demonstrate that it remains at the forefront of developing and commercializing AI, according to sources inside the company.
Conclusion
OpenAI’s newest model may not outshine R1 in terms of price, but it shows that the company will make efficiency part of its focus going forward. OpenAI also says that the model is especially strong in math, science, and coding.
FAQs
Q: What is o3-mini?
A: o3-mini is a smaller, more efficient version of OpenAI’s cleverest artificial intelligence model.
Q: What are the advantages of o3-mini?
A: o3-mini can break difficult problems into constituent parts in order to figure out how best to solve them.
Q: How can I access o3-mini?
A: OpenAI is making o3-mini available to all Plus, Team, and Pro users of ChatGPT. Users of the free version of ChatGPT will also be able to try o3-mini but won’t be able to send as many queries.
Q: What is the impact of o3-mini on the tech industry?
A: The release of o3-mini puts pressure on Google and Anthropic to lower their prices and highlights OpenAI’s commitment to making efficient AI models.
