Introduction to Upcoming AI Models

OpenAI is reportedly gearing up to unveil an updated AI model, GPT-4.5, as early as next week, with speculation suggesting that this could be a stepping stone towards the company’s ultimate goal of achieving "AGI" (Artificial General Intelligence) with its subsequent model, GPT-5. However, skepticism remains as to whether these advancements will truly mark a revolutionary leap in AI capabilities.

Expected Release and Features of GPT-4.5 and GPT-5

According to sources cited by Tom Warren of The Verge, Microsoft is planning to host OpenAI’s new model, potentially as early as next week, although official announcements may take longer. Moreover, rumors hint at the GPT-5 model being released as early as May. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced that users will have unlimited access to the "standard intelligence setting" of GPT-5 for free, which will also incorporate the o3 reasoning model for enhanced fact-checking capabilities.

Integration with Microsoft and Future Plans

The release of GPT-5 in May aligns with Microsoft’s annual developer conference, Microsoft Build, scheduled for May 22. Last year, Microsoft debuted its Copilot+ line of PCs, emphasizing on-device AI processing. The company has been augmenting its Copilot experience, integrating it into various applications and platforms. Altman has vaguely outlined plans for structuring access to GPT-5, with current Plus subscribers accessing a higher level of intelligence and Pro subscribers having an even higher level.

Current AI Products and the Pursuit of AGI

OpenAI has existing AI products, such as Deep Research, designed for generating long-form reports based on prompts and clarifying questions. While the company has promised wider release of these features, concerns remain about the chatbot’s reliance on citing Wikipedia over fact-based research. The upcoming GPT-4.5, or Orion, is touted as the company’s last non-chain-of-thought model, a concept that mirrors human reasoning by breaking down larger problems into immediate steps. The integration of o3 with GPT may lead OpenAI to claim milestones towards AGI, although definitions of AGI vary, particularly between OpenAI and the general public.

Skepticism and Competition

There is skepticism about whether the next GPT model will be genuinely revolutionary, offering new use cases for AI or merely improving benchmarks. Recently, OpenAI and other AI-centric companies faced a challenge from DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model developed at a fraction of the cost of GPT-4, with similar or better performance. OpenAI accused DeepSeek of plagiarism, an irony given GPT’s training on copyrighted text without permission. The onus is now on OpenAI to demonstrate its capabilities with GPT-4.5 and GPT-5, not just for users but for investors as well.