OpenAI is giving away many features previously reserved for paying users. This includes access to their most advanced AI model, GPT-4o, data and code analysis tools, and the ability to upload images for analysis by the AI.
Aside from that, they’re also giving access to several custom GPTs to perform specific tasks such as Adobe Express that assists editing through Adobe software; Code Copilot that helps in coding; and Tutor Me for educational assistance in math, humanities, or science.
However, there are (of course) limitations to the free tier. You can’t create your own custom chatbots, generate images with DALL-E, or use the ChatGPT desktop app for Mac. Free users also have a limit on the number of interactions they can have with GPT-4o, (likely maximum of 10) before it reverts to the older GPT-3.5 model.
Certain free custom GPT prompts are also limited and once the limit is reached, it will ask to upgrade to ChatGPT Plus, or else it goes on cooldown until the specified time.
This move likely stems from OpenAI’s desire to make advanced AI tools more accessible but is also likely a response to competition from Microsoft’s Copilot, Anthropic’s Claude 3, and Google’s AI offerings, all of which provide similar functionality.
Paid users get some perks, including priority access to new features like voice and vision capabilities, five times more GPT-4o interactions per day, and potentially exclusive access to the next generation model. They’ll also get access to the rest of the premium custom GPTs.