OpenAI plans to release a new AI model, codenamed Orion, to mark the second anniversary of ChatGPT. Initially, the model will only be available to OpenAI partners, allowing them to develop unique products and features. Unlike previous releases such as GPT-4o and o1, Orion will not be immediately integrated into ChatGPT for the general public.
Microsoft and Azure Integration
Engineers at Microsoft, OpenAI’s primary partner, are preparing to deploy Orion on the Azure cloud platform. While the launch may occur as early as November, the timeline could still change. Internally, OpenAI refers to Orion as a continuation of GPT-4, though it remains uncertain if it will officially be named GPT-5. Both OpenAI and Microsoft have refrained from commenting on the final name or release date.
One OpenAI executive hinted that Orion could be up to 100 times more powerful than GPT-4, underscoring the ambitious nature of this project. Notably, the new model is distinct from the recently released o1, which debuted in September. OpenAI aims to eventually unify its language models to advance toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). We’ll keep you updated as new developments emerge.
Orion’s Development and Launch
According to reports, Orion was trained using synthetic data generated by o1, with the training phase completed in September. Around the same time, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted a cryptic message on the social platform X, saying he was “looking forward to the upcoming winter constellations” of Orion, which are visible from November to February. This post has been interpreted by many as a hint that the official release may occur in December, notes NIX Solutions. Even ChatGPT o1-preview suggests that Altman’s post alludes to the Orion launch—although the response contains speculative elements.
The upcoming release of Orion coincides with significant personnel changes at OpenAI. The company, which recently became a for-profit and raised $6.6 billion, announced the departures of CTO Mira Murati, chief scientist Bob McGrew, and research president Barret Zoph.