OpenAI on Friday launched a new AI “reasoning” model, o3-mini, the newest in the company’s o family of reasoning models.
OpenAI first previewed the model in December alongside a more capable system called o3, but the launch comes at a pivotal moment for the company, whose ambitions — and challenges — are seemingly growing by the day.
OpenAI is battling the perception that it’s ceding ground in the AI race to Chinese companies like DeepSeek, which OpenAI alleges might have stolen its IP. It has been trying to shore up its relationship with Washington as it simultaneously pursues an ambitious data center project, and as it reportedly lays the groundwork for one of the largest funding rounds in history.
Which brings us to o3-mini. OpenAI is pitching its new model as both “powerful” and “affordable.”
“Today’s launch marks […] an important step toward broadening accessibility to advanced AI in service of our mission,” an OpenAI spokesperson told TechCrunch.
More efficient reasoning
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