Unless you've been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard the buzz around OpenAI's latest marvel — ChatGPT-4o. And let me tell you, this update is nothing short of revolutionary. But maybe not for reasons that are instantly apparent…
So… What’s New?
Yesterday, OpenAI unveiled three game-changing updates:
- ChatGPT-4o: A large language model that can process video, audio, and text simultaneously.
- Desktop App: Initially launching on Mac (sorry, Microsoft fans).
- Enhanced API Access: Twice as fast, 50% cheaper, and with five times the rate limits of its predecessor.
While GPT-4o isn’t a massive leap in intelligence from GPT-4 Turbo, it’s the most user-friendly model OpenAI has ever released.
DID YOU WATCH THE UPDATE?
The actual livestream launch of ChatGPT-4o was a bit understated. Over 110,000 people, including myself, tuned in live. As of today, the launch ranks number 2 on YouTube with over 2 million views in less than 24 hours. Despite some people being unimpressed, they missed something incredibly clever—OpenAI is giving this away for FREE.
Yes, you read that right. This powerful AI model is now available for FREE to everyone worldwide. No more paywalls or subscription fees. With one move, OpenAI has eliminated their distribution problem overnight, allowing anyone with internet access to experience the power of AI, including AI agents with the GPT store.
“Welcome to the World of ChatGPT-4o”
This release is revolutionary, transforming how we interact with AI and making advanced technology accessible to everyone. Here’s why this moment is so exciting, not just for AI enthusiasts like me, but for everyone.
For the first time, everyone can experience the power of a highly advanced AI model without any cost. Whether for personal use, education, or professional tasks, ChatGPT-4o is designed to make interactions smoother, more intuitive, and incredibly productive.
Feature-Packed
ChatGPT-4o comes with a host of new features:
- Improved Language Understanding: Enhanced comprehension of nuanced contexts and complex instructions.
- Extended Knowledge Base: Updated with newer and broader knowledge.
- Enhanced Creativity: Better at generating creative writing, stories, poems, and dialogues.
- Multimodal Capabilities: Can process and generate text-based descriptions of images.
- Code Understanding and Generation: Excels in writing, debugging, and explaining code.
- Personalization: More personalised responses based on previous interactions.
- Improved Consistency: More coherent and less repetitive responses.
- Advanced Problem-Solving: Better at handling complex maths and logical reasoning tasks.
- Extended Conversational Memory: Longer contextual memory for fluid exchanges.
- Ethical and Safe Usage: Enhanced filters and guidelines for safer interactions.
ChatGPT-4o is not just an upgrade; it’s a revolution:
- Educational Tools: Perfect for tutoring and providing valuable learning resources.
- Professional Applications: A versatile addition to any workflow, from technical documentation to creative projects.
- Creative Assistance: Enhanced capabilities for writing and brainstorming.
- Ethical Safeguards: Ensures compliance with ethical guidelines and prioritises user safety.
Secret Features Unveiled
ChatGPT-4o can even identify individual speakers from audio, making it ideal for meeting transcriptions. Its improved language support means better interactions for non-English speakers, enhancing accessibility for a global audience.
Why Would OpenAI Do This?
A Strategic Move
OpenAI’s strategy is reminiscent of Amazon’s approach:
- Release the API: (For Amazon it’s be the online platform)
- Let others build products: (For Amazon it’s sell products)
- Identify what gains traction.
- Build its own version of successful products.
- Profit.
By offering ChatGPT-4o for free, OpenAI is setting the stage for widespread adoption and innovation. This move democratises access, enabling everyone to benefit from AI's capabilities.
The Omni Advantage
Democratising Access
GPT-4o’s biggest impact is accessibility. Until now, only a small percentage of users experienced the full power of GPT-4 due to its cost. With ChatGPT-4o, everyone can now access a PhD-level assistant, transforming education, work, and entrepreneurship.
Multimodal Marvel
GPT-4o’s multimodal capabilities mean it can “see,” “hear,” and “speak” in an integrated way. This seamless interaction paves the way for AI as a natural part of human systems and processes.
Implications and Future Prospects
In education, with free access, the educational value of AI skyrockets. I was just talking to a client about how this changes my keynote around education for them later this year. Before, there was a barrier around the cost of AI—just £20 a month. Now, the cost is £0, which is amazing. However, it also poses challenges such as the potential for increased cheating.
For workplace Innovation, Companies can now leverage AI without the cost barrier, encouraging innovation and productivity. Employees can build and share GPTs to automate tasks, creating a new dynamic in workplaces.
What about for Global Entrepreneurship?
AI acts as a co-founder, filling skill gaps and enabling global entrepreneurs to bring innovative ideas to market. It can already act like a co-coder with you and now speak to you about the code you’ve written.
Imagine this but for your whole business.
While I’ve explored some of GPT-4o’s capabilities, its full potential, especially its multimodal features, is yet to be experienced. This promises a future where AI is an integral and ubiquitous part of our lives.
OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT-4o marks a pivotal moment in technology. By making advanced AI accessible to everyone for free, they are democratising innovation and setting the stage for a future where AI is a natural and powerful extension of human capability.
Embrace the revolution, and happy innovating!
This is the #FifthIndustrialRevolution.
About the Author: Dan Sodergren
Keynote speaker, professional speaker, Ted X talker, serial tech startup founder, ex marketing agency owner, digital trainer, and now author and media spokesperson Dan Sodergren’s main area of interest is the future of work, technology, data and AI
In his spare time, as well as being a dad, which comes first, Dan is a digital marketing and technology (and now AI) expert for TV shows and the BBC and countless radio shows.
Occasionally donning the cape of consumer champion on shows like BBC WatchDog, the One Show and RipOffBritain and being a marketing tech specialist for SuperShoppers and RealFakeAndUnknown and BBC Breakfast.
He is also a host and guest on podcasts and webinars speaking as a tech futurist. And a remote reporter / content creator for tech companies at tech events and shows. His main interest is in the future. Be that the future of marketing, or the future or work or how AI and technology will change the world for the better as part of the #FifthIndustrialRevolution
Find out more about him over on bit.ly/DanSodergren
And his books on https://futureofwork.gumroad.com
And his course on www.aimarketingcourse.co.uk
And his new idea: The AI Teacher Course. And The Fifth Industrial Revolution.