What's worth experiencing with OpenAI's new super-expensive GPT-4.5 model?

OpenAI has just released a preview of its large language model GPT-4.5, dubbed the "conversation master" with the ability to empathize and communicate more naturally than ever, paving the way for the future release of GPT-5.

Unlike previous versions that simply gave advice mechanically, GPT-4.5 knows how to listen and respond appropriately to the user's mood. For example, when a person shares about their sadness after failing an exam, GPT-4.5 does not rush to give advice but asks sincerely: "Do you want to talk about what happened, or do you just need a distraction? Either way, I'm here ."

ChatGPT has a GPT-4.5 model with superior empathy capabilities.

This ability comes from OpenAI's improved Unsupervised Learning technique combined with Reinforcement Learning, helping GPT-4.5 discover language patterns and gain a deeper understanding of the world, with a 62.5% improvement in inference performance compared to previous AI models. As a result, this model not only has broader knowledge but also significantly reduces the "illusion" (providing false information).

In one test, GPT-4.5 beat previous models, including GPT-4o and o3-mini, with the lowest 'hallucination' rate. However, GPT-4.5 is not a complete replacement for these models. It is a more 'general-purpose' model, focusing on natural conversation, but does not support multimedia like GPT-4o.

OpenAI sees GPT-4.5 as an important stepping stone to GPT-5, which it hopes will incorporate the company's most advanced technologies. CEO Sam Altman has said that GPT-4.5 is "the ultimate non-sequence model," implying that GPT-5 will be capable of reasoning and solving problems step by step.

ChatGPT Pro users can now experience GPT-4.5, and Pro and Team packages will be updated next week.

However, this "huge" power comes with an equally "expensive" price, making many users shake their heads in dismay. Specifically, the API cost of GPT-4.5 is listed at $75 for 1 million input tokens and $150 for 1 million output tokens. For ChatGPT Plus package users, they will be granted 5 queries per month at this price.

To visualize this, let's compare it with previous versions:

- GPT-4o: $2.50/1 million input tokens, $1.25/1 million input tokens (cached), and $10/1 million output tokens.

- GPT-4o mini: $0.15/1 million input tokens, $0.075/1 million input tokens (cached), and $0.60/1 million output tokens.

Obviously, GPT-4.5 is the most advanced version, aimed at professional users who need maximum power for complex tasks. With outstanding improvements, GPT-4.5 promises to bring a closer and more natural AI experience to users, while opening up new potentials for the future of AI.

David Pac

Update 05 March 2025