The announcement, made on Friday, was made amid moves of rivals such as Google in advancing AI technology.
According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the o3 mini model is slated for release by the end of January, with the full o3 model to follow. These advanced large language models are said to be designed to outperform existing systems in reasoning and problem-solving, which may elevate OpenAI’s position to attract new investments and users.
The o3 series builds on OpenAI’s o1 models, introduced in September, which were optimized to spend more processing time on queries and solve intricate tasks. The o1 models demonstrated significant improvements in handling complex problems in science, coding, and mathematics, setting a foundation for the enhanced capabilities of o3 and o3 mini.
OpenAI emphasized that the o3 models are currently undergoing rigorous internal safety testing. To refine the models further, the company has opened applications for external researchers to participate in early testing. The application window closes on January 10, ahead of the models’ anticipated public debut.
The launch of these advanced reasoning models comes amid intensified competition in the AI space. Google recently released Gemini 2, the second generation of its flagship AI model, aiming to reclaim its leadership in the field.
Meanwhile, OpenAI has maintained its momentum since the groundbreaking launch of ChatGPT in 2022, which ignited an AI arms race. The company’s steady stream of innovations and product launches culminated in a US$6.6 billion funding round in October.
As OpenAI prepares to roll out its o3 models, the stage is set for the next chapter in the race to develop AI systems capable of addressing increasingly complex and specialized tasks.
