OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 Launch: Breakthrough AI Faces GPU Shortage and High Costs
Staff Editor OpenAI Unveils GPT-4.5 Amid GPU Shortage and High Costs
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced the release of GPT-4.5, the company’s latest large language model. The new AI system comes with a hefty price tag of $75 per million tokens, significantly higher than its predecessors. This steep cost is attributed to the model’s resource-intensive nature, which has led to a shortage of GPUs.
Altman revealed that OpenAI has exhausted its GPU supply, causing delays in the model’s rollout. To address this issue, the company plans to add tens of thousands of GPUs to its infrastructure. This situation underscores the hardware dependency of AI technology and the industry’s ongoing efforts to expand data center capabilities.
The GPU shortage has intensified competition among tech companies vying for AI hardware, particularly NVIDIA’s AI cards. NVIDIA recently reported a sharp increase in sales of its next-generation AI chips, known as Blackwell.
Despite its high cost and computational demands, GPT-4.5 is not being marketed as a reasoning model and may not excel in traditional benchmarks. Altman described the model as possessing a “unique intelligence,” with a focus on natural conversation abilities. OpenAI VP Mia Glaese emphasized the model’s improved understanding of user intent.
GPT-4.5 was designed to reduce computing power requirements, aiming for greater efficiency compared to GPT-4. However, despite being characterized as “giant” and “expensive,” it is not considered a frontier model. Initial performance evaluations suggest it may not surpass previous models in certain areas.
Looking ahead, OpenAI is already planning the development of GPT-5, which aims to integrate various technologies. The potential of GPT-5 to meet industry expectations and contribute to artificial general intelligence remains uncertain.
This release comes amid OpenAI’s ongoing challenges with computing power shortages, which have previously delayed product launches. The company continues to market GPT-4.5 despite perceptions of underperformance in some areas.
As the AI industry grapples with hardware limitations and escalating costs, the release of GPT-4.5 marks a significant milestone in the evolution of large language models, while also highlighting the challenges faced by companies at the forefront of AI development.
