OpenAI gets ready to launch GPT-4.1

OpenAI is getting ready to unveil a number of new AI models, sources familiar with the company’s plans tell The Verge. Among the new AI models will be a release of what I’m expecting will be branded GPT-4.1, which one source describes as a revamped version of OpenAI’s GPT-4o multimodal model.

GPT-4o was originally introduced last year as a flagship model that reasoned across audio, vision, and text in real time. I understand that OpenAI will launch GPT-4.1 alongside smaller GPT-4.1 mini and nano versions as soon as next week.

OpenAI is also readying the full version of its o3 reasoning model and an o4 mini version that could debut even sooner. AI engineer Tibor Blaho discovered references to o4 mini, o4 mini high, and o3 in a new ChatGPT web version earlier today, suggesting these additions are imminent. I understand o3 and o4 mini are both set to debut next week, unless OpenAI moves the launch plans around.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman teased on X that OpenAI would be launching an exciting feature today, but it’s not clear if this is related to the o3 and o4 mini references in ChatGPT or not. Sources caution that OpenAI has delayed the introduction of some new models recently due to capacity issues, so it’s possible for the new GPT-4.1 model introduction to slip beyond a planned debut next week. I asked OpenAI to comment on this story, but the company didn’t respond in time for publication.

Altman revealed on X earlier this month that customers “should expect new releases from OpenAI to be delayed, stuff to break, and for service to sometimes be slow as we deal with capacity challenges.” OpenAI’s more advanced image generation capabilities forced the company to temporarily rate limit requests last month, and Altman claimed “our GPUs are melting” due to the popularity of the built-in image generator for users of ChatGPT’s free tier.