The long-awaited moment is here: ChatGPT is receiving an enormous upgrade to GPT-4.5.
However, despite OpenAI calling GPT-4.5 its “largest and most knowledgeable model,” it comes with a few caveats that might see you continuing to use its older models for a while longer.
OpenAI Launches GPT-4.5 With a More “Natural” Feel
Let’s start with the positives of this GPT update. OpenAI claims GPT-4.5 has a “broader knowledge base” with stronger alignment with “user intent.” It also features boosts to emotional intelligence that OpenAI claims make GPT-4.5 “well-suited for tasks like writing, programming, and solving practical problems.”
The GPT-4.5 research preview also hallucinates less than its predecessors—37 percent compared to GPT-4o’s 60 percent.
Interestingly, OpenAI’s internal testing team found GPT-4.5 ” warm, intuitive, and natural.” This suggests an AI model that emphasizes personality, empathy, and creativity more.
GPT-4.5 Isn’t All Sunshine and Roses
OpenAI also acknowledges that despite the clear improvements to GPT-4.5, it isn’t quite ready to replace its earlier models.
GPT-4.5 is a much larger and more compute-heavy AI model, which makes it (currently) more expensive to run. Its responses may also feel slower than ChatGPT regulars are now accustomed to with models such as GPT-4o. GPT-4.5’s API pricing reflects the intesive compute costs.
But it’s not only speed. An OpenAI document detailing GPT-4.5’s capabilities explains that it “is not a frontier model . . . its performance is below that of o1, o3-mini, and deep research on most preparedness evaluations.”
At the time of writing, GPT-4.5 doesn’t support the multimodal features that make ChatGPT so useful. That means no Voice Mode, video tools, or screen sharing, at least for now. OpenAI has not provided a specific timeline for when this might change.
When Can You Use ChatGPT GPT-4.5?
Starting from 27 February 2025, GPT-4.5 is rolling out to ChatGPT’s $200 Professional subscription tier. Those Professional subscribers will be able to pick up GPT-4.5 immediately from the model picker. From early March, ChatGPT Plus and Team subscribers can choose GPT-4.5, followed by Enterprise and Edu subscribers.
To me, this all points in one direction: GPT-4.5 is a stepping stone to GPT-5, expected to launch in 2025. The combination of GPT-4.5, GPT o3, o3-mini, and other models are the building blocks for GPT-5, which many suggest will be the first AI system we can truly deem artificial general intelligence.
