OpenAI Launches GPT-4o, Desktop App & Expands Access to GPT Store

OpenAI has announced the launch of GPT-4o, an updated iteration of its GPT-4 model, which powers the company's flagship product, ChatGPT. OpenAI's Chief Technology Officer, Mira Murati, revealed that the new model offers improved capabilities across text, vision, and audio.

GPT-4o will be available to all users for free, whilst paid users will continue to enjoy up to five times the capacity limits compared to free users. The company plans to roll out the model's capabilities iteratively, with text and image features becoming available in ChatGPT starting today.

OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, described the model as "multimodal," enabling it to generate content or understand commands in voice, text, or images. Developers interested in experimenting with GPT-4o will have access to the API, which is priced at half the cost and operates twice as fast as GPT-4 Turbo.

As part of the GPT-4o update, ChatGPT's voice mode has been improved. The app will now function as a voice assistant, responding in real-time and observing its surroundings. This marks an advancement from the current voice mode, which is limited to responding to one prompt at a time and relying solely on auditory input.

In addition to the launch of GPT-4o, OpenAI announced that it is opening its GPT Store to all users, including those on the free tier. The GPT Store, which was previously restricted to paid subscribers, allows users to create and share their own chatbots, called GPTs. Since its introduction just four months ago on 10 January, the store has seen the emergence of various bots, such as an image-generating bot, a scientific research-focused chatbot called Consensus, and a logo-making bot.

OpenAI also revealed that it has been testing an engagement-based revenue sharing programme for GPT builders since March, incentivising creators to develop innovative and engaging chatbots. By expanding access to the GPT Store to all users, the company aims to foster an ecosystem of AI-powered applications and services.

Furthermore, OpenAI is extending several previously subscription-locked features to free users, including the ability to upload files and photos for summary and analysis, search the web with ChatGPT, and use GPT-4 with memory of previous chats. This move demonstrates the company's commitment to making its AI capabilities more accessible to a wider audience.

Alongside the launch of GPT-4o and the expansion of the GPT Store, Murati announced the release of a desktop app for Macs, with a Windows version planned for later this year. The company is also updating the web UI for ChatGPT, aiming to create a more seamless and intuitive user experience that allows users to focus on their collaboration with the AI assistant.

The introduction of speech recognition and processing in GPT-4o represents a step forward in the field of generative AI, paving the way for more natural interactions between users and AI-powered applications.

The launch of GPT-4o and the expansion of the GPT Store come amidst speculation about OpenAI's plans, with reports suggesting the development of an AI search engine to compete with Google and Perplexity, a voice assistant integrated into GPT-4, or a new model, GPT-5. The timing of these announcements, just ahead of Google I/O and Apple's WWDC, where both tech giants are expected to unveil their own AI advancements, highlights the growing importance and influence of OpenAI's technologies across the industry.

Furthermore, recent reports indicate that Apple has closed a deal to license OpenAI's models for iOS 18, which will be announced at WWDC on 10 June, the company's annual developer conference for its software platforms.