NIX Solutions: OpenAI Releases o3-mini in ChatGPT

Two weeks ago, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the next-generation large language model with reasoning capabilities, o3-mini, would be released “in a couple of weeks.” Today, OpenAI has delivered on that promise, launching o3-mini in ChatGPT and its API services. Notably, the new model is now accessible even to free ChatGPT users, though with certain limitations.

Improved Performance and Faster Responses

Originally introduced during OpenAI’s 12-day Christmas premiere marathon, o3-mini is designed to match o1 in performance for math, coding, and science tasks while delivering faster responses. OpenAI claims that o3-mini is 24% faster than o1-mini and provides more accurate answers. Like its predecessor, o3-mini will demonstrate its reasoning process while solving problems instead of offering direct answers.

NIX Solutions

In December, OpenAI shared preliminary test results showing o3 outperforming o1. Now, the company states that o3-mini will surpass o1 in a variety of coding and reasoning tasks while reducing costs and latency. Developers can access o3-mini via OpenAI’s API services, including the Chat Completions API, Assistants API, and Batch API.

Availability and Features

Paid users will have access to o3-mini-high, which OpenAI describes as “the best option for writing code in ChatGPT.” This version is expected to deliver more intelligent responses, albeit with a slight delay. Additionally, o3-mini will support web searches, allowing users to receive answers with links to external sources.

For the first time, free ChatGPT users can try OpenAI’s reasoning models. The move may have been influenced by the growing competition from the Chinese startup DeepSeek, though Microsoft’s role in expanding access to AI through Copilot cannot be overlooked.

Free users can test o3-mini in ChatGPT by selecting the Reason function in the chat panel. The restrictions will align with those of GPT-4o. Meanwhile, paid users will enjoy higher usage limits: ChatGPT Plus and Teams subscribers can send up to 150 messages daily, while ChatGPT Pro users, at $200 per month, will have unlimited access, adds NIX Solutions.

With these advancements, OpenAI continues to refine its AI models. We’ll keep you updated on future developments and potential improvements.