OpenAI has cancelled o3—here’s why that’s a big deal
Instead, OpenAI is rolling out a “simplified” more powerful system designed to streamline its sprawling AI ecosystem.
If you’ve ever found yourself squinting at ChatGPT’s model picker, wondering which version to use, you’re not alone. OpenAI has also acknowledged this and said it is done with its confusing mess of model names and releases.
Now before o3, its much-anticipated next-generation model could see the light of day, it is being scrapped. Instead, OpenAI is rolling everything into GPT-5, which CEO Sam Altman insists will be a “simplified” more powerful system designed to streamline its sprawling AI ecosystem. What's interesting is that a few weeks ago, OpenAI’s Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil was confidently saying that o3 was on track for a February-March release.
But what does GPT-5 bring and when will it be available?
Well, GPT-5 will unify several AI technologies, including voice interaction, enhanced search, and deep research capabilities, making ChatGPT and OpenAI’s API smarter and more intuitive. No more juggling different models—GPT-5 will decide when to think deeply, when to act fast, and how to use the best tools for the job.
Altman says GPT-5 will be available "in a matter of months" for unlimited chat access at a “standard intelligence setting,” though OpenAI hasn’t clarified what limits may apply. ChatGPT Plus subscribers will get a “higher level of intelligence,” while ChatGPT Pro users will get an “even higher level of intelligence.
Before GPT-5 arrives, though, OpenAI has one more release up its sleeve: GPT-4.5, code-named "Orion," making it the company’s last “non-chain-of-thought” model— meaning it won’t have the advanced reasoning capabilities that OpenAI is now fully embracing.
Moving forward, OpenAI’s AI will fact-check itself, a feature that makes responses more reliable but also a bit slower. It’s a tradeoff the company seems willing to make, especially with competition from the Chinese AI lab DeepSeek.
But offering unlimited GPT-5 access when it drops might just be OpenAI’s way of keeping users hooked. If that’s the bait, well… we’ll take it.
