ChatGPT is an application from OpenAI that interacts with advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) to drive generative artificial intelligence. These models work together to understand language inputs and generate meaningful outputs.
ChatGPT offers a user-friendly interface for working with LLMs to accomplish numerous tasks. The application includes multiple versions, which provide updated functionality, including advanced speed and better accuracy. Knowing the differences helps you identify the best choice for your task.
Terms to know
Here are some terms to know to better understand the details in this article:
- Tokens: This term represents the smallest unit into which text data can be broken down for AI to process. Depending on the text, a token may include characters, words, or phrases. A general rule of thumb for ChatGPT is that 1 token is about 4 characters in English.
- Context window: This term refers to the number of tokens preceding and following a specific word or character. The context window incorporates user prompts
and AI responses from recent user history to make its responses more relevant. - Latency: This term refers to the time it takes for the AI to process a prompt and generate a response.
GPT-3.5 Turbo
This version is one of the older ChatGPT models. While newer varieties exist, GPT-3.5 Turbo is still beneficial for its fast responses and inexpensive cost. It can understand and generate natural language and code.
While GPT-3.5 Turbo is still a high-quality model, its main limitations come from its less recent information, smaller context window and output limit.
Here’s an overview of GPT-3.5 Turbo according to a few factors:
- Cost: The latest version of GPT-3.5 Turbo is relatively cost-effective, with pricing of $0.50 per 1 million tokens of input and $1.50 per 1 million tokens of output.
- Token limits: This model has a context window of 16,385 tokens and a maximum output of 4,096 tokens.
- Recency of information: This model operates off of knowledge collected before September 2021.
- Output quality: While GPT-3.5 Turbo is less nuanced and conversational than other models, it still provides acceptable output quality.
- Speed: This model is faster than average, with an output of 121.5 tokens per second and a latency of 0.60 seconds.
GPT-4 Turbo
This model is an optimized, large-scale technology offering high intelligence for your tasks. It includes GPT-4 Vision, which makes it multimodal, accepting image and text inputs.
GPT-4 Turbo delivers excellent processing power and solves complex scientific and mathematical problems. Its responses are more nuanced than earlier models, more accurate, and less prone to hallucinations. Here’s an overview of a few key details:
- Cost: The price is $10 per 1 million input tokens and $30 per 1 million output tokens.
- Token limits: The model has a context window of 128,000 tokens and an output limit of 4,096 tokens.
- Recency of information: GPT-4 Turbo takes its information from an enhanced selection of diverse internet sources from December 2023 and earlier.
- Output quality: This model serves high-demand applications, contributing knowledgeable responses to inputs and queries.
- Speed: This model’s added functionality slows its speed, with an output of 39.3 tokens per second and a latency of 1.25 seconds.
GPT-4o and GPT-4o mini
These are the latest, biggest, and best models released by OpenAI. They have high intelligence and the ability to complete complex, multistep tasks. Like GPT-4 Turbo, they include multimodal input options, such as text and images.
Their data extraction, classification, and verbal reasoning capabilities are much more advanced than those of earlier ChatGPT models. See how they compare to other ChatGPT versions:
- Cost: GPT-4o costs $2.50 per 1 million input tokens and $10 per 1 million output tokens. GPT-4o mini costs $0.15 per 1 million input tokens and $0.60 per 1 million output tokens.
- Token limits: The context window is 128,000 tokens, and the max output limit is 16,384.
- Recency of information: These models use specialized datasets and knowledge from October 2023 and earlier.
- Output quality: These models provide the highest-quality outputs among current ChatGPT versions, especially for complex tasks.
- Speed: GPT-4o has an output speed of 134.9 tokens per second and a latency of 0.41 seconds, making it faster than previous models. The mini is slightly slower, with an output speed of 112.2 tokens per second and a latency of 0.63 seconds.
If speed and accuracy matter, GPT-4o is the best GPT model for your needs. If you prefer lower costs but still want the latest functions, the GPT-4o mini is an excellent option.
OpenAI o1-preview and o1-mini
While these don’t fall under the ChatGPT name, they are the latest releases from OpenAI. They are still in their beta versions, but overall, these models strive for quality over speed, thinking through problems before responding.
These enhanced reasoning capabilities help you solve complex problems in science, coding, math, and other areas. These models also have enhanced safety features.
OpenAI o1-mini is a faster, more cost-effective version of o1-preview. It’s optimized for STEM topics, with more limited factual knowledge in other areas, such as dates and biographies. In non-STEM areas, it is comparable to earlier models like GPT-4o mini.
Here’s how they compare to earlier versions:
- Cost: OpenAI o1-preview is quite a bit more expensive than other models. It costs $15 per 1 million input tokens and $60 per 1 million output tokens. OpenAI o1-mini costs $3 per 1 million input tokens and $12 per 1 million output tokens, slightly more than GPT-4o.
- Token limits: Like the two previous models, these models have a context window of 128,000 tokens. OpenAI o1-preview has an output limit of 32,000 tokens, and o1-mini of 64,000 tokens, higher than the 4o models.
- Recency of information: These models use the same knowledge cutoff as 4o and 4o-mini of October 2023.
- Output quality: These models offer the highest output quality of any OpenAI product for STEM tasks. In other areas, they are comparable to earlier versions.
- Speed: The output speed of o1-preview is comparable to GPT-4o at 151.3 tokens per second, but its added reasoning time leads to a higher latency of about 22 seconds. The o1-mini has an output speed of 237 tokens per second and a latency of 9.01 seconds. Its output speed and latency are higher than average.
Which model is the best for you?
Each OpenAI model has advantages and disadvantages, so the ideal choice varies based on the use case. For example, a complex STEM-related task will benefit from the latest OpenAI o1-preview.
On the other hand, a more generalized task where you want a quick answer will benefit from one of the GPT-4o models. If cost is a major determining factor, you may choose GPT-3.5 Turbo or GPT-4o mini.
Other AI models, including Gemini and Claude, respectively developed by Google DeepMind and Anthropic, bring additional differences that make them better options for certain applications than ChatGPT.
For example, Gemini is known for multimodality across text, video, image, audio, and code. Claude excels in safety and misuse prevention and is also beneficial for natural conversations.
Discover the Advantages of Using Multiple LLMs
Get all the best AI models in one
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