OpenAI to launch AI models that can think up their own experiments, says report
Following the launch of a brand new family of GPT-4.1 models, a new report from The Information claims OpenAI will soon release two new models capable of performing a task typically reserved for humans — coming up with scientific experiments.
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The new models, dubbed o3 and o4-mini, would be additions to OpenAI’s existing line of reasoning models. Simply put, these reasoning models are trained to “think before they speak,” which results in a longer time to process the prompt but higher quality responses. These types of models are especially useful for STEM tasks, which would be the focus of o3 and o4-mini.
According to the report, the new models will synthesize information from different fields and subject expertise and then use that knowledge to suggest new, innovative experiments. According to insider sources who have tested the model and are cited in the report, these experiments would encompass many complex topics, such as nuclear fission or pathogen detection.
These capabilities are particularly noteworthy because the high level of reasoning necessary to create viable experiments has typically been left to humans. Furthermore, combining insights from different specialties, a method used by inventors like Nikolas Tesla, is especially daunting.
The breadth of what these models can be used for goes beyond scientific applications; businesses, think tanks and other organizations can equally benefit. Questions regarding accuracy and hallucinations remain to be explored.
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The advanced assistance will come at a cost. OpenAI will reportedly charge $20,000 monthly for this “doctorate-level AI,” which is 100 times more expensive than ChatGPT Pro, OpenAI’s most expensive subscription tier right now, which retails at $200 per month. The exact date of when the model will be released is to be determined, but the report says it could be as early as this week.
OpenAI originally previewed the o3 and o3-mini models on its last day of ‘shipmas’ in December. At the time, OpenAI said that the technology would not be available to the general public yet, with only early testers having access. Then, in January, the company launched o3-mini in ChatGPT and the API. Benchmark evaluations highlighted o3-mini’s proficiency in STEM-related tasks.
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