The AI world has been buzzing in anticipation of OpenAI’s next big leap, and it’s finally here – GPT-4.5 has been officially unveiled. OpenAI announced the release of this new language model as a “research preview” on February 27, 2025, confirming the details everyone’s been waiting for
In this post, we’ll break down when GPT-4.5 is coming out, who can access it, and how you can start using OpenAI’s latest AI model. We’ll stick to verified, official information from OpenAI and avoid any rumors or speculation, so you get the facts straight from the source.
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OpenAI Announces GPT-4.5 – The Next-Gen AI Model is Here
OpenAI has introduced GPT-4.5 as “our largest and best model for chat yet,” marking a significant upgrade in its GPT series
This model is a step forward in scaling up unsupervised learning, which means it was trained on even more data and compute to boost its capabilities. Early tests show that interacting with GPT-4.5 feels more natural than before – in fact, OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman said it’s the first AI model that “feels like talking to a thoughtful person”
The company also notes GPT-4.5 has improved pattern recognition and “greater emotional intelligence” compared to prior versions and it is expected to hallucinate (produce incorrect information) far less often than previous models
All these improvements aim to make GPT-4.5 even more reliable and useful for tasks like improving writing, programming, and solving practical problems
It’s important to note that GPT-4.5 is being released as a research preview. This means OpenAI is rolling it out to gather feedback and observe how it performs in real-world use before a wider release. The confirmed launch kicked off on Feb 27, 2025, when OpenAI made GPT-4.5 available to an initial group of users. So, what does this rollout look like and who gets access first? Let’s dive into the availability details.
GPT-4.5 Release Date & Availability: Who Can Access It?
OpenAI is taking a phased approach to make sure GPT-4.5’s launch goes smoothly. Here are the confirmed details on who can use GPT-4.5 and when, according to OpenAI’s official announcement:
- ChatGPT Pro Users (Immediately): If you’re subscribed to the premium ChatGPT Pro tier (a $200/month plan), you get first dibs on GPT-4.5. OpenAI opened up GPT-4.5 to Pro subscribers worldwide right on the release date. Starting February 27, 2025, Pro users can log into ChatGPT and select GPT-4.5 from the model picker on web, mobile, or desktop.
- ChatGPT Plus Users (Within ~1 Week): Good news for the many ChatGPT Plus subscribers (the standard $20/month plan) – you’re next in line. OpenAI has confirmed it will “begin rolling out GPT-4.5 to ChatGPT Plus and Team users next week” In other words, about a week after the initial release, Plus users will see GPT-4.5 as an available option in their ChatGPT interface. (The ChatGPT Team plan, which is like Plus for multi-user teams, is on the same schedule as Plus.)
- Enterprise & Education Users (Following Week): Users of ChatGPT Enterprise (for organizations) and ChatGPT Education (for academic institutions) will get access after the Plus rollout is underway. OpenAI says Enterprise and Edu customer tiers will be enabled the “following week” after the Plus/Team rollout. This staggered release is simply due to resource limits – GPT-4.5 is highly demanding in terms of computation. In CEO Sam Altman’s words, it’s “a giant, expensive model” and they initially ran out of GPU capacity to serve everyone at the same time (Altman mentioned on X that OpenAI is adding “tens of thousands of GPUs” ASAP to expand capacity.)
- Developers via API (Immediately in Preview): Developers who use OpenAI’s API haven’t been left out. Alongside the ChatGPT interface launch, OpenAI previewed GPT-4.5 in the API for developers on all paid usage plans. This means if you have an API account with a paid billing setup, you can start testing GPT-4.5 through the API right away. The model is accessible via the Chat Completions API, the new Assistants API, and the Batch API, just like other OpenAI models. (Keep in mind, because GPT-4.5 is so powerful, it may be more costly to use – OpenAI has hinted it’s more expensive to run than older models.)
As of now, free users of ChatGPT do not have access to GPT-4.5. OpenAI is limiting it to paying customers during this preview period. This was similar to previous launches – for example, OpenAI’s earlier model GPT-4o (a multimodal version of GPT-4) was initially limited to certain users. (If you’re curious about GPT-4o’s features, we covered it in detail in our guide on What is GPT-4o and its multimodal capabilities.) For GPT-4.5, OpenAI has not announced any free tier access yet, so the above groups are the ones who get to try it first.
How to Access GPT-4.5 in ChatGPT?
So, you’ve confirmed you’re in one of the eligible groups (Pro, Plus, Team, Enterprise, or Edu) – how do you actually use GPT-4.5? It’s pretty straightforward if you have the right subscription:
- Open ChatGPT (Web or App): Log in to your ChatGPT account on the web, or update to the latest version of the ChatGPT mobile/desktop app. Make sure your account is on one of the plans that currently support GPT-4.5.
- Model Selector: Start a new chat. At the top of the chat window, you’ll see a model dropdown menu (the model picker). Click that, and now you should see an option for GPT-4.5 alongside the older models. (Pro users see it immediately; Plus/Team users will see it once the rollout reaches them.)
- Select GPT-4.5: Choose GPT-4.5 from the list. Once selected, any messages you send in that chat will be handled by the GPT-4.5 model. You can now chat just as you normally would, but you’ll likely notice the responses are more advanced, insightful, and aligned with your questions.
- Use New Features: Keep in mind GPT-4.5 on ChatGPT comes with some enhanced abilities. For example, it has access to the latest up-to-date information via web browsing, it supports file and image uploads in chat, and it can even use an interactive canvas to work on writing or code collaboratively. However, it does not currently support voice or video inputs/outputs in ChatGPT – those multimodal voice features remain exclusive to GPT-4o for now. Essentially, select GPT-4.5 when you need the very best text-based answers or code generation, and enjoy the improved performance.
If you don’t see “GPT-4.5” in your model picker even though you have a Plus subscription, be patient – it might be a few days until your account is enabled. OpenAI is rolling it out gradually to ensure stability. You might also try logging out and back in, or checking for any app updates, once the announced timeframe has passed.
How to Use GPT-4.5 via the OpenAI API?
For developers and tinkerers, GPT-4.5 can be accessed through OpenAI’s API as a preview model. Here’s how you can try it out:
- Access Requirements: You’ll need an OpenAI API account with an active payment setup. There is no separate waitlist for GPT-4.5 in the API; OpenAI has made it available to all paying API users from day one If you have a developer account and a credit card on file (or paid credits), you should have access.
- Using the Model: In your API requests, you’ll specify the model as GPT-4.5. OpenAI’s documentation now lists “GPT-4.5” among the available models (identified as a chat-completion model). For example, when using the Chat Completions endpoint, you might set
"model": "gpt-4.5"in your request JSON. This tells the API to use the new model for generating the completion. - Supported Endpoints: GPT-4.5 is available in the same endpoints as GPT-4. You can use it with the Chat Completions API (for conversational interactions), the Assistants API, and the Batch API for processing multiple prompts in parallel. It supports advanced features like function calling, streaming responses, and system message instructions, similar to other GPT-4 series models.
- Testing & Feedback: Since this is a preview release, you might encounter higher response times or occasional quirks as OpenAI fine-tunes the system. OpenAI is encouraging feedback – they’ve indicated that if GPT-4.5 proves uniquely valuable, user input will guide whether it remains in the API long-term. So, if you’re using GPT-4.5 in your app, don’t hesitate to share your findings or any issues on OpenAI’s developer forum.
From a development standpoint, using GPT-4.5 is as straightforward as using previous models – just update your API calls to target the new model. Keep an eye on your API usage, though. Because GPT-4.5 is a larger and more resource-intensive model, its usage will likely be billed at a higher rate than older models. Always monitor your tokens and costs when experimenting with a model that’s described as “giant” and computationally heavy.
What We Think?
GPT-4.5 represents the latest milestone in OpenAI’s quest to create more powerful and intelligent language models. With a confirmed release date and a clear rollout plan, users now know when and how they can get access to this cutting-edge model. If you’re a ChatGPT Plus subscriber or an API developer, the opportunity to experiment with GPT-4.5 is either already here or just around the corner. OpenAI is deliberately expanding access over a couple of weeks to ensure everything runs smoothly – a testament to how “giant” this model is in terms of computational demands
The excitement is understandable: each iteration (from GPT-3.5 to GPT-4, then GPT-4o, and now GPT-4.5) has brought notable improvements in the quality of AI-generated responses. Early adopters will be testing GPT-4.5’s limits in the coming days, and their feedback will help shape its future. OpenAI’s official messaging makes it clear that this is a learning phase for them as well, so we can expect the model to only get better over time.
In summary, GPT-4.5’s release date is confirmed, it’s rolling out now to paid users, and accessing it is as simple as selecting it in ChatGPT or calling it via the API (provided you have the proper access). All information here is based on official statements and announcements from OpenAI, so you can confidently explore GPT-4.5 knowing you have the verified details. Happy experimenting with OpenAI’s latest and most advanced AI – and stay tuned to our blog for more updates on what GPT-4.5 can do as we put it through its paces!
Snehil Prakash is a serial entrepreneur, IT and SaaS marketing leader, Author and blogger. He loves talking about Software's, AI driven business and consulting Software business owner for their 0 to 1 strategic growth plans.
