Everyone Needs to Chill About GPT-4.5
OpenAI just released GPT-4.5, and the internet is in flames with people bashing it. Some are already calling it a disappointment. Critics argue that AI progress has stalled, that GPT-4.5 is just a minor upgrade. That OpenAI is losing its edge. That the promise of AGI is no more.
Let’s take a deep breath and actually look at what’s happening here.
The Misunderstanding of GPT-4.5
First, everyone seems to be comparing GPT-4.5 to the OpenAI's o-series models (such as o1 or o3), which are reasoning models. These are completely different beasts from base models like GPT-4o or GPT-4.5. They rely on a core GPT model with a set of test-time compute optimizations sprinkled on top, which boosts their reasoning capabilities. Think of it as extra instructions that guide the base model to take its time and think this through before answering. In contrast, GPT-4.5 is a base model with no such enhancements baked in.
So, here is the TL;DR; If you are expecting GPT-4.5 to perform like an o-series model, you’re misunderstanding what these models are in the first place.
What GPT-4.5 Actually Improves
Rather than being an end product of a reasoning model, GPT-4.5 is an improvement over the previous base model, GPT-4o. In fact, its improvements appear to be so substantial that in many tasks, it performs at a level close to o1, a full-fledged next-generation reasoning model.
The most critical advancements can be distilled into two primary improvements:
Higher accuracy: GPT-4.5 is noticeably more accurate than GPT-4o across various tasks, in some cases achieving twice the accuracy.
Fewer hallucinations: It significantly reduces incorrect responses, lowering hallucination rates by up to 50%.
While this might sound like a small step, all of these refinements make GPT-4.5 a substantial step forward as a base model, which is foundation on which more advanced reasoning models will be built.
Have We Hit a Wall? No.
But since GPT-4.5 doesn’t feel like a dramatic leap forward, does this mean AI advancements are slowing down? In short, no. This assumption misunderstands how the current crop of AI models work.
Let's look how the main improvements of GPT-4.5 fit into the progress of reasoning models:
Smoother, more refined writing: Since reasoning models rely on step-by-step reasoning, the ability to articulate thoughts clearly enhances their effectiveness. More precise and structured outputs improve logical coherence, making multi-step problem-solving more efficient and reducing misinterpretations.
Fewer hallucinations: Reasoning models can sometimes deduce the correct answer during their step-by-step reasoning phase but still generate a final response that contradicts their logical progression. Reducing hallucinations ensures that the final output remains aligned with its internal reasoning, leading to more consistent and reliable answers.
So, GPT-4.5 serves as the backbone of the upcoming reasoning models. Test-time compute techniques extract additional reasoning capabilities from a base model, meaning that the stronger the base model, the better the performance of optimized models down the line. Additionally, it is likely to play a key role in generating high-quality training data for future models.
Some Hot Takes Are Completely Missing the Point
Some reputable outlets have even jumped on the conclusion that GPT-4.5 is a failure and argued that the GPT-series is obsolete now that o-series models exist.
This argument makes no sense. Think of it this way: o-series models are like high-performance race cars, tuned to make them faster. GPT-4.5, on the other hand, is a new and improved engine—stronger than the old one but still just the engine. Comparing it to a full car misses the point.
The GPT series is an integral part of the o-series models. Just because the larger systems of reasoning models are outperforming the foundational models it doesn't mean they are obsolete. Quite the opposite—without the base models, there are no reasoning models in the first place. At least for now.
The Big Picture: AI is Still Plowing Ahead
Before jumping on the “GPT-4.5 is a disappointment” bandwagon, let’s take a step back and acknowledge what GPT-4.5 really is. It’s an evolution of the base model—an essential improvement that enables the next wave of breakthroughs in test-time compute optimizations, which is where the most significant advancements in AI are currently taking place.
You could even say that GPT-4.5 was likely never intended to be a groundbreaking, stand-alone model for public consumption. Instead, it probably serves as the internal core model for upcoming reasoning models. As such, when compared directly to fully optimized reasoning models, it may not seem as impressive.
So, to borrow a well-known phrase: Keep calm and carry on. The AI train is still plowing ahead.
