OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, made a significant impact in its second year with the release of two new GPT-4 models, the launch of a new search engine, and amidst internal turbulence. So, what’s on the horizon?
On November 30, 2022, OpenAI introduced the world to its first ChatGPT model. Originally envisioned as a testing ground for OpenAI’s models, ChatGPT quickly evolved into a chatbot that became a cornerstone in the development of generative artificial intelligence (genAI).
In 2024, OpenAI unveiled several new iterations, including GPT-4, which offers enhanced intelligence across text, voice, and vision. Additionally, a new series of models known as o1 were launched, capable of reasoning through complex tasks in scientific, coding, and mathematical fields.
Recently, OpenAI launched SearchGPT, a browser extension that provides “fast, timely answers” to user queries, directly from relevant web sources, eliminating the need for traditional search engines.
However, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for OpenAI. The company has faced its share of internal turmoil, including the departure of co-founder Ilya Sutskever, the disbandment of the company’s super intelligence research team, and several lawsuits filed by US news companies for alleged copyright infringement.
But what does the future hold for ChatGPT as OpenAI enters its third year? Let’s delve into it.
In a recent Reddit AMA, OpenAI founder Sam Altman and his team gave a glimpse into their third-year priorities. Kevin Weil, OpenAI’s chief product officer, suggested that a significant focus for 2025 would be the ability of ChatGPT to perform tasks autonomously. Altman added that the next “giant breakthrough” could be the development of an autonomous agent, or agentic AI, which could help companies automate workplace tasks.
This concept is already being explored by competitors like Google Cloud’s Vertex AI, LinkedIn, and Microsoft. Some anticipate the next update of Google’s Gemini, Project Jarvis, might also include autonomous agents.
Despite the progress, there’s been mixed reactions to these AI agents. While some view it as a game-changing innovation, others are apprehensive about granting too much control to AI models.
Given the anticipated release of a brand new model by the end of the year, OpenAI’s future looks promising. Altman hinted at “very good releases” but clarified that none would be labeled as ChatGPT-5. The focus, he stated, would be on enhancing other models, like GPT4.0 and o1.
Speculations suggest Orion, believed to be the successor to GPT-4o and o1, could be released in December for select companies that work closely with OpenAI. Tadao Nagasaki, the CEO of OpenAI Japan, hinted at a future ChatGPT model that will be “100 times more powerful” than GPT-4.
However, the AI industry also faces challenges like computing, energy, and data shortages. As a result, OpenAI might consider scaling down to less resource-intensive, smaller LLMs that can curate data for specific fields like law or health.
OpenAI has much to consider as it embarks on its third year. Whether it’s scaling down, specializing, or expanding its capabilities, the future of ChatGPT holds exciting possibilities.
