OpenAI Unveils ChatGPT-4o: Free Access with Limitations

Open AI has just announced the next on the line of conversational AI based on advanced language model, ChatGPT-4o, which will be accessible by anyone free of charge. However, while the announcement received a lot of positive feedback, the paid version comes with some major differences. Here are the key details regarding ChatGPT-4 and the challenges that users may face as a result.

Free vs. paid features: What’s the difference?

OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4o currently provides users with a current language model. However, the free version of the model has been facing some limitations. The paid members can avail of upgraded usage limits, Dall-E for text-to-image conversion, and priority access to new features such as voice and image options. 

Also read: OpenAI’s ChatGPT-4o Can Show Feeling and Emotions

ChatGPT 4o free is subject to some restrictions, but ChatGPT 4o paid offers 5x higher usage limits. OpenAI’s new version of the Team plan, namely ChatGPT Team, brings much higher pricing, the company explains; however, it has not clarified it yet. This is valid for unlimited data transfer from satellites, including radio waves, signals, data, file uploads, etc., as well as video and browsing actions. 

According to Open AI, “All users will start to get access to GPT-4o today. In the coming weeks, we’ll begin rolling out the new voice and vision capabilities we demo’d today to ChatGPT Plus.”

Although free users are allowed to use the conversational interactions, they have a limit to which they can access advanced features. Also, they are capped on the usage of data analysis, upload of files, vision support, and web searches.

Also read: China Has Not Yet Had Its ChatGPT Moment, Says Kai-Fu Lee

The main advantage of ChatGPT 4o being free is that the LLM has been updated. The cut-off date for the 5-date rule was September 2021 when knowledge will be no longer available. Nevertheless, there are still a lot of restrictions on the use of free version by the users. If you only use the OpenAI chatbot occasionally and don’t need Dall-E images at all, then maybe downgrading or sticking with a ChatGPT-4o free account is for you.

Dall-E access limit to paid members only

Among the primary weak points of ChatGPT-4’s free version is the inability to have access to Dall-E, the text-to-image tool developed by OpenAI. One of the most recent additions to ChatGPT, Dall-E, was previously available exclusively for ChatGPT Plus subscribers: just as before, Dall-E remains locked behind a paywall, so free users won’t be able to enjoy the full potential of image generation powered by AI. While the transition to ChatGPT-4 isn’t free, the option of Dall-E is still a paid feature available only to paying members.

In addition to voice and image, the other capabilities will be considered among the most anticipated additions to the AI ecosystem of OpenAI thanks to the ChatGPT-4 launch event. However, these features will initially be available exclusively to ChatGPT Plus and enterprise subscribers. Paying customers will enjoy voice and image features as OpenAI moves to roll out the paid user base weekly, while free users will have to wait till then. This prioritization thus shows that OpenAI’s strategy is to concurrently encourage subscription upgrades while gradually making new features more widely accessible.