On Sunday, Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, made several significant announcements for users of ChatGPT. The o3 series of artificial intelligence models, which had been introduced in December 2024 as part of a research preview, is now set for its first global launch. Altman confirmed that the o3-mini AI model will be accessible to both paid subscribers and users on the free tier of the platform. Moreover, he disclosed that the new AI agent, Operator, will soon be rolled out to ChatGPT Plus subscribers.
OpenAI Unveils First o3 AI Model
In a message on X (formerly Twitter), Altman announced that the latest reasoning-oriented large language model series, o3, will be made available to all users, including those on the free tier. This series is the successor to OpenAI’s o1 models.
The o3 series, which includes both the o3 and o3-mini models, was first presented during a 12-day holiday shipping schedule in December. At its introduction, OpenAI indicated that these new models would deliver enhanced performance and be capable of tackling more complex tasks across coding, mathematics, and natural language processing. However, details on their complete capabilities and benchmark assessments were not disclosed at that time.
Altman noted that while free-tier users will gain access to the o3-mini model, usage may be subject to certain limitations. For example, the o1 model permitted five queries per day for free users. In contrast, ChatGPT Plus subscribers will have the advantage of making up to 100 queries per day with the o3-mini model.
Additionally, Altman shared multiple future updates for ChatGPT Plus users. One of the key developments is the upcoming introduction of the Operator AI agent for paid subscribers. This agent, currently offered to Pro subscribers in the U.S. as a research preview, can autonomously execute online tasks based on user prompts, including booking tickets, reserving restaurant tables, and making online purchases.
Users on the Plus plan can also look forward to receiving the next AI agent from OpenAI on the day it becomes available, a benefit that did not extend to the earlier release of the Operator agent, which was initially limited to Pro subscribers.
Furthermore, Altman revealed that an upgraded version of the o3 series, referred to as o3 Pro, will soon be available for Pro users.
