OpenAI has launched a new subscription plan for its AI-powered chatbot platform, ChatGPT, which is quite expensive.
OpenAI, which confirmed the leak this morning, announced ChatGPT Pro, a new $200/month subscription tier that provides unlimited access to all of OpenAI's models, including the full version of the o1 “inference” model.
Unlike most AIs, o1 and other inference models effectively fact check. This helps avoid some of the pitfalls that models usually stumble upon, but the downside is that it often takes a long time to reach a solution. O1 reasons through tasks, plans ahead, and performs a series of actions that help the model arrive at an answer.
OpenAI released a preview of o1 in September. This new version has improved functionality, and compared to o1-preview, users can expect “faster, more powerful, and more accurate inference models with even better coding and math,” an OpenAI spokesperson said. told TechCrunch.
Specifically, o1 is now able to reason about image uploads (which was not possible during preview) and is trained to “think more concisely” to speed up response times. According to OpenAI's internal testing, o1 reduced “critical errors” on “difficult real-world questions” by 34% compared to the preview version.
O1 does not require a ChatGPT Pro subscription. As of this afternoon, all paid ChatGPT users can access o1 through the ChatGPT model selector tool. OpenAI says it plans to add support for web browsing, file uploads, and more in the coming months.
O1 will soon be available in OpenAI's API with new features such as vision and function calls (i.e. the ability to use third-party tools).
Now, ChatGPT Pro subscribers will get an ostensibly better version of o1 than non-paying users. The mode, called o1 Pro mode, “uses more computing to get the best answers to your toughest questions,” OpenAI said.
ChatGPT Pro users can access the feature by selecting “o1 pro mode” in the model picker and asking directly. Because generating answers takes time, ChatGPT displays a progress bar and sends an in-app notification when you switch to another conversation.
O1 Pro mode may simply increase the “inference” time it takes for the model to respond. OpenAI said in its o1 preview announcement that the aim is to experiment with o1 models that infer over hours, days, or even weeks to further increase their inference capabilities, and this is a step in that direction. It could be a step forward.
An OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch, “As evaluated by external expert testers, o1 Pro Mode more reliably delivers more accurate and comprehensive responses, especially in areas such as data science, programming, and case law analysis.” I was able to generate it.” “Compared to both o1 and o1-preview, o1 pro mode performs better on difficult machine learning benchmarks across math, science, and coding. Especially for easy coding, which is more reflective of everyday programming queries. For contest questions, we saw a 75% reduction in errors.”
OpenAI also announced a grant program awarding 10 grants for ChatGPT Pro to medical researchers at leading institutions. The company said it plans additional grants across “a variety of sectors” in the future.
ChatGPT Pro is arguably OpenAI's most expensive subscription to date, 10 times the cost of ChatGPT Plus. Also, considering that many users already consider ChatGPT Plus to be too expensive, this may be a tough sell.
Additionally, ChatGPT Pro also includes unlimited access to GPT-4o and Advanced Voice Mode, ChatGPT's human-like conversation feature. ChatGPT Plus users have a daily time limit, while free users are limited to previews.
A price increase for premium ChatGPT has been rumored for a long time. According to a report in the New York Times, OpenAI plans to charge a monthly fee of $44 for ChatGPT Plus by 2029. According to The Information, the company is also considering the idea of an ultra-expensive business subscription with additional features and access to models in development.
This aggressive move reflects pressure from investors on OpenAI to cut losses. The company's monthly revenue hit $300 million in August, but it expects to lose about $5 billion this year, according to the New York Times. This is due to expenses such as staffing, office rent, and AI training infrastructure. At one point, ChatGPT alone was reportedly costing OpenAI $700,000 per day.