OpenAI launches GPT-4

OpenAI has unveiled the latest version of its popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, called GPT-4. One of the most significant updates is its ability to respond to images, including providing recipe suggestions from photos of ingredients and writing captions and descriptions. Moreover, GPT-4 can process up to 25,000 words, eight times more than ChatGPT, and has more advanced reasoning skills. Millions of users have already used ChatGPT since its launch in November 2022, and it has become a go-to for tasks such as writing songs, poems, marketing copy, and computer code, although teachers warn against using it for homework.

The AI chatbot answers questions using natural human-like language, mimicking other writing styles, such as songwriters and authors, using the internet as a knowledge database from 2021. Although GPT-4 is designed to help, there are concerns that it could potentially replace human jobs. OpenAI spent six months on safety features for GPT-4 and trained it on human feedback, but it warns that the model may still share disinformation. However, it has already found a place in the tech world and is powering Microsoft’s Bing search engine platform, with the tech giant investing $10 billion in OpenAI.

GPT-4 has initially been made available to ChatGPT Plus subscribers, who pay $20 per month for premium access to the service. During a live demonstration, it answered a complex tax query, though there was no way to verify its response. As with its predecessors, GPT-4 is a generative AI that uses algorithms and predictive text to create new content based on prompts. OpenAI has also announced new partnerships with Duolingo and Be My Eyes to create AI chatbots to assist users with natural language.

OpenAI has cautioned that GPT-4 is not yet fully reliable, and there is still a chance it may “hallucinate,” where AI invents facts or makes reasoning errors. Despite the challenges, OpenAI hopes that the latest AI chatbot will bring significant benefits to users in their everyday lives. The release of GPT-4 marks another step forward for OpenAI in developing technology that can provide practical solutions to problems in various industries while emphasising the need to address ethical concerns.