OpenAI's o3-mini: Free Access and Enhanced Capabilities for ChatGPT Users

ChatGPT o3-mini will be free for all, and I can't wait to try the powerful new problem-solving model

OpenAI announced the upcoming rollout of its incredibly smart new reasoning model earlier this week, and now we've got even better news: o3-mini will be available for free. Sam Altman confirmed the news on X yesterday, stating "Big news: the free tier of ChatGPT is going to get o3-mini!" The OpenAI CEO also confirmed that Plus members, those paying $20/£20/$AU30 a month will get "tons of o3-mini usage", which is great for those who want to take full advantage of the new model. o3 and o3-mini were unveiled in December as part of OpenAI's "12 Days of OpenAI" event, which also saw the official release of Sora in the US, OpenAI's AI video generation tool. o3-mini is a substantial upgrade to the o1-mini reasoning model released last year, allowing users to get answers to complex scientific and math problems. There's no exact timeframe on when o3-mini will be available, but Altman confirmed on January 17 that it will launch in API and ChatGPT in "a couple of weeks." Once o3-mini does become available (to free, Plus, and Pro users) you'll be able to get help with questions that require thought and reasoning. In the new model you'll even be able to adjust the thinking time to give the AI model more time to work out an answer. There will be a "low compute" option for quick responses and a "high compute" option for tasks that require extra thinking power. When OpenAI announced the new model in December, my first thought was "how long will we have to wait to try this for free?" Luckily, Altman and co has given free users a nice surprise to kick off 2025 with this announcement that o3-mini will in fact be free. We don't have any more info on how many prompts you'll be able to ask o3-mini for free, but hopefully there's a decent amount of free usage so that everyone can take advantage of the future of AI reasoning models. o3-mini hits the perfect sweet spot between a reasoning model and a more general usage model, and OpenAI hopes this new middle ground will break through into the mainstream and become a daily tool for the average consumer. As soon as we get access to o3-mini we'll be putting it through its paces, so stay tuned to TechRadar for all the upcoming ChatGPT o3-mini news.

OpenAI's o3-mini model will be free for all ChatGPT users, CEO confirms

The timing of this update is noteworthy, as it follows a temporary outage of ChatGPT. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has made a major announcement, revealing that the free version of ChatGPT will use the o3-mini model. This change is expected to improve the experience for free-tier users while encouraging others to explore paid subscription plans for additional benefits. Altman shared the news on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting that users subscribed to ChatGPT Plus would get extensive access to o3-mini. "The plus tier will get tons of o3-mini usage," he said. The o3-mini model represents a significant step forward in OpenAI's efforts to refine its AI technology. While it is smaller in scale compared to the high-performance GPT-4-turbo model, o3-mini offers several advantages. It provides quicker responses, uses fewer computational resources, and is well-suited for handling straightforward queries. Also read: OpenAI launches ChatGPT Pro subscription plan: What it offers and how much it costs By introducing o3-mini to the free tier, OpenAI likely aims to strike a balance between providing accessible AI services to millions of users and reserving premium resources for paying subscribers. The timing of this update is noteworthy, as it follows a temporary outage of ChatGPT on January 23. Thousands of users reported accessibility issues with ChatGPT, experiencing a "Bad Gateway" error. The error stated, "The web server reported a bad gateway error." This downtime highlighted the growing demand for OpenAI's AI services and the challenges of managing resources efficiently. Also read: Sam Altman reveals that OpenAI is losing money on ChatGPT Pro plan, Here's why OpenAI's broader goal of democratising AI aligns with this decision to make o3-mini available to everyone. By offering powerful tools without a cost barrier, the company likely aims to enable more users worldwide to benefit from advancements in artificial intelligence. This update is expected to make ChatGPT more appealing to both casual users and professionals.

OpenAI's 'o3-mini' is free for all users -- what you need to know

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced today (January 23) that the free tier of ChatGPT will now use the o3-mini model, marking a significant shift in how the popular AI chatbot serves its user base. In the same tweet announcing the change, Altman revealed that paid subscribers to ChatGPT Plus and Pro plans will enjoy "tons of o3-mini usage," giving people an incentive to move to a paid account with the company. The o3-mini model is part of OpenAI's latest advancements in its generative AI technology. Although smaller in scale compared to the flagship GPT-4-turbo model, o3-mini promises faster response times, reduced computational requirements, and the ability to handle simpler queries with ease. This move aims to improve the user experience for free-tier users while allocating premium resources, like GPT-4-turbo, for paid subscribers who rely on the platform for professional and intensive use cases. This update comes shortly after ChatGPT went down on Thursday, January, 23, at a time when OpenAI is focusing on balancing resource demands. ChatGPT's free tier has historically been powered by earlier versions of GPT models, but integrating o3-mini represents a strategic pivot toward efficiency. It's designed to serve the needs of everyday users with lightweight tasks like casual queries, brainstorming, and conversational interaction. In contrast, subscribers to ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) and Pro plans will continue to access GPT-4-turbo for robust and complex tasks, such as coding, in-depth research, and high-level problem-solving. Additionally, these users now have expanded access to o3-mini, giving them greater flexibility in choosing the right tool for their needs. Altman's tweet also hints at OpenAI's effort to ensure that paid subscribers feel the value of their investment. "Tons of o3-mini usage" for paid users suggests that OpenAI aims to give its premium customers a wider array of tools, empowering them to switch seamlessly between models for optimal productivity. This announcement aligns with OpenAI's broader mission of democratizing AI. By introducing o3-mini to the free tier, OpenAI enables millions of users to benefit from cutting-edge AI capabilities, without the cost barrier. The company's strategy strikes a balance between accessibility for free users and innovation-driven features for paying customers. With ChatGPT usage surging across industries, from education to enterprise-level applications, OpenAI's latest update ensures that its AI tools remain both scalable and user-friendly. As competition in the AI chatbot space intensifies, OpenAI's approach to tiered access could further solidify its leadership in the market.

OpenAI starts the release of its o3 mini AI model for ChatGPT, and it's got a nice speed boost over o1

The o3 mini boasts superior problem-solving abilities in science and math OpenAI followed up on its December release of the OpenAI o1 model with the official rollout of its smaller sibling, the OpenAI o3 mini model. CEO Sam Altman broke the news on X, revealing that o3 mini will be available on ChatGPT and as an API for developers. The o3 mini model is an upgrade to the o1 mini model just as the o3 model is to the o1 model released last year. The o3 series is supposed to be smarter, faster, and better in all ways from its predecessors. The o1 models were designed to spend more time processing queries, taking a longer, harder look at problems most models would give up on. The o3 models take those abilities and further enhance them while also running more quickly and efficiently. That's going to be useful when you use ChatGPT's new Tasks feature, which gives the AI chatbot a more proactive role in reminding you of tasks and events. The launch of the o3 mini isn't just about improving reasoning capabilities; it's about staying ahead in the highly competitive AI landscape. Google, Meta, and others are all working to advance their models and try to dominate the market. ChatGPT and OpenAI can't afford to rest on their laurels, and the company seems to understand that. OpenAI clearly believes users want tools that don't just follow the rules but also think critically and are flexible in how they assist you. That's where Altman and his team hope the o3 and o3 mini models will shine. A bigger question may be, will models like o3 mini actually change how AI is used, or if it's just going to improve the results in small ways. OpenAI obviously hopes these upgrades lead to more people engaging with its AI models. By making its models better at reasoning, the company looks to be targeting those users who need something more sophisticated than the current level of conversational AI. The o3 mini model looks like it might hit the sweet spot between power and accessibility for ChatGPT users. By offering smarter reasoning in a more compact package, OpenAI could attract users who want cutting-edge AI but don't need the full heavyweight version just yet. With burgeoning competition, OpenAI might be thrilled with any improvements it can point to in its latest models, considering the rumors of stalled progress on recent AI models at OpenAI and elsewhere. Even if its sense of humor may still be a work in progress.

OpenAI just announced a new AI model, and it's arriving in a couple of weeks

OpenAI's latest reasoning model, o3 mini, is now official, with the company's CEO, Sam Altman having recently shared details about the technology on X. He noted the model should be ready for rollout in a couple weeks with availability for API and ChatGPT users up at the same time. thank you to the external safety researchers who tested o3-mini. we have now finalized a version and are beginning the release process; planning to ship in ~a couple of weeks. also, we heard the feedback: will launch api and chatgpt at the same time! (it's very good.) — Sam Altman (@sama) January 17, 2025 The update comes not long after OpenAI released its o1 and o1 mini model series in December. Those models provided more detailed processing of queries, as well as improved writing, and error detection in code. The upcoming o3 mini model is intended to be an improvement still on those models, with a focus on excelling in challenging science, code, and math queries. The overall intent of the model is to perform as well as a large language model in a lightweight form. Recommended Videos Windows Central noted Microsoft's Phi-3 Mini is a direct competitor to o3 mini. Microsoft announced the reasoning model last April, claiming it would perform as well as GPT 3.5 in a lighter structure. Similarly, Anthropic, Google, and Meta are developing their own lightweight AI models. TechRadar also noted whether Open AI's update and continued development of such models is a benefit to the AI industry is pending. A shift from a heftier large language model to a lighter reasoning model can make for faster updates, but will they actually be beneficial or just consistent and incremental. In addition to an exact release date, what remains to be seen is if the o3 mini model will be available to free ChatGPT users or if the model users will have to subscribe to a paid tier to gain access. Notably, Sam Altman has previously stated that ChatGPT Pro subscribers have a unique advantage with the 01 model as it "can think harder for the hardest problems." The ChatGPT Pro infamously sells for $200 per month.

OpenAI to Launch o3-mini in the Coming Weeks

OpenAI is set to release its o3-mini model in approximately two weeks, CEO Sam Altman revealed, after external testing by safety researchers. "We have now finalised a version and are beginning the release process; planning to ship in ~a couple of weeks," Altman said. OpenAI plans to launch the o3-mini model simultaneously on both its API and ChatGPT platforms. The o3-mini is a smaller, more efficient version of the o3 model, which was first introduced in December 2024. The o3 model demonstrated advanced reasoning capabilities, excelling in areas such as coding, mathematics, and scientific problem-solving. Both of the o3 models achieved state-of-the-art performance, nearing 90%, on the ARC-AGI benchmark, surpassing human performance. Altman also hinted at future developments, saying, "I would love for us to be able to merge the GPT series and the o series in 2025." This suggests the potential integration of OpenAI's different model families in the future. Altman in a recent podcast expressed confidence that the company will be the first to achieve AGI or artificial general intelligence. "I kind of genuinely believe that we can launch the first AGI, and no one cares that much," Altman said. The o3-mini model is designed to offer advanced AI capabilities while being more cost-effective and resource-efficient than its larger counterpart. It features adjustable "thinking time" with multiple reasoning effort modes, allowing users to optimise performance based on their specific needs. OpenAI also published a reference implementation for building and orchestrating agentic patterns using the Realtime API. Developers can use this repo to prototype a voice app using multi-agent flows in less than 20 minutes. OpenAI has also updated custom instructions to make it easier to customise how ChatGPT responds to you. "With the new UI, you can tell ChatGPT the traits you want it to have, how you want it to talk to you, and any rules you want it to follow," the company said.

OpenAI Will Launch Its 'o3 Mini' Reasoning AI Model Soon

The o1 models are capable of reasoning through complex tasks The new o3 and o3 mini models would be more powerful than o1 OpenAI had said it was testing o3 and o3 mini in December 2024 ChatGPT maker OpenAI has finalised a version of its new reasoning AI model o3 mini and would be launching it in a couple of weeks, CEO Sam Altman said on Friday. The Microsoft-backed company has considered user feedback and, consequently, plans to release the application programming interface (API) and ChatGPT simultaneously, Altman wrote in a post on social media platform X. Last December, OpenAI said it was testing reasoning AI models, o3 and o3 mini, indicating growing competition with rivals such as Alphabet's Google to create smarter models capable of tackling complex problems. The AI startup had planned to launch o3 mini by the end of January, and the full o3 thereafter, as more robust large language models could outperform existing models and attract new investments and users. In September 2024, the GenAI pioneer released o1 AI models designed to spend more time processing queries to solve harder problems. The o1 models are capable of reasoning through complex tasks and can solve more challenging problems than previous models in science, coding and math, the company had said in a blog post. The new o3 and o3 mini models would be more powerful than the previously launched o1 models, the company had said previously. Earlier this week, OpenAI said it was introducing a beta feature called Tasks to ChatGPT, signaling its foray into the virtual assistant space, competing with Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa. The release of ChatGPT in late 2022 sparked a frenzy of investments in AI firms, with its growing popularity and new product launches helping OpenAI close a $6.6 billion (roughly Rs. 57,113 crore) funding round in October. © Thomson Reuters 2025

OpenAI confirms launch of 'o3 Mini' AI model that pauses to 'think' -- here's how it works

OpenAI is set to launch its latest reasoning AI model, o3 mini, within the next two weeks, as confirmed by CEO Sam Altman. This development follows the introduction of the o3 series, designed to enhance AI's ability to tackle complex problems through improved reasoning capabilities. The o3 mini model represents a significant leap from its predecessor, o1, by incorporating advanced reasoning skills that allow for step-by-step logical analysis. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said the new model is "the beginning of the next phase of AI." For users like me and you, this is great news. This progression enables the model to perform a series of intermediate reasoning steps, by taking a moment to "think," as it considers various prompts prior to responding. Enhanced problem-solving abilities can serve users in areas like coding, science, and mathematics. Upon release, o3 mini will be integrated into the ChatGPT platform and made accessible via an API. Developers and users alike can utilize the tools to leverage the advanced reasoning for a more robust AI experience, once again positioning OpenAI competitively against industry leaders. In addition to the o3 series, OpenAI recently ventured into the realm of virtual assistants with the new Tasks feature currently in beta. While the hope is to compete with established virtual assistants like Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa, it's not quite there yet. From my own experience with ChatGPT Tasks, I can attest that OpenAI still has some kinks to work out to truly make the AI application feasible for a broader user base. The introduction of o3 mini underscores OpenAI's commitment to advancing AI technology and maintaining a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. By enhancing reasoning capabilities and expanding into new markets, OpenAI aims to attract new investments and users, further solidifying its position as a leader in artificial intelligence innovation. OpenAI is currently safety testing the model, but has plans to release the o3-mini model by the end of this month, with the full o3 model release several weeks after. As the AI industry continues to evolve, the launch of o3 mini is anticipated to influence the development and application of AI technologies, setting new benchmarks for reasoning capabilities and user engagement.

OpenAI finalizes 'o3 mini' reasoning AI model version, to launch it soon

(Reuters) - ChatGPT maker OpenAI has finalized a version of its new reasoning AI model o3 mini and would be launching it in a couple of weeks, CEO Sam Altman said on Friday. The Microsoft-backed company has considered user feedback and, consequently, plans to release the application programming interface (API) and ChatGPT simultaneously, Altman wrote in a post on social media platform X. Last December, OpenAI said it was testing reasoning AI models, o3 and o3 mini, indicating growing competition with rivals such as Alphabet's Google to create smarter models capable of tackling complex problems. The AI startup had planned to launch o3 mini by the end of January, and the full o3 thereafter, as more robust large language models could outperform existing models and attract new investments and users. In September 2024, the GenAI pioneer released o1 AI models designed to spend more time processing queries to solve harder problems. The o1 models are capable of reasoning through complex tasks and can solve more challenging problems than previous models in science, coding and math, the company had said in a blog post. The new o3 and o3 mini models would be more powerful than the previously launched o1 models, the company had said previously. Earlier this week, OpenAI said it was introducing a beta feature called Tasks to ChatGPT, signaling its foray into the virtual assistant space, competing with Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa. The release of ChatGPT in late 2022 sparked a frenzy of investments in AI firms, with its growing popularity and new product launches helping OpenAI close a $6.6 billion funding round in October. (Reporting by Juby Anna Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi)