Key Takeaways
- The original GPT-4, released in early 2023, is remembered by some as a significant technological moment for its usefulness.
- OpenAI has effectively “retired” this specific early version as its models are continuously updated.
- Many users report a noticeable decline in the quality and accuracy of GPT-4 responses compared to its initial release.
- Possible reasons for the change include efforts to reduce costs, enhance safety, or encourage users towards paid subscriptions.
- Some early adopters feel the initial “golden era” of free, powerful AI like the first GPT-4 has passed for now.
Remember the excitement around ChatGPT-4 when it first launched? For many, that early version felt like a major leap in technology, a truly useful tool that marked a significant moment in the last decade.
That initial burst of capability felt game-changing compared to even newer tech like Apple Vision Pro or Google’s Gemini, according to some early users writing for TechRadar. Tasks like summarizing long documents or brainstorming ideas seemed almost magical back in March 2023.
However, things seem to have changed. OpenAI recently confirmed that it has retired the original GPT-4 model, although the company states its models are simply updated continuously. Many long-time users feel the quality dropped off noticeably sometime before any official announcement.
Discussions online, including on OpenAI’s own forums, echo this sentiment, with users sharing examples of decreased accuracy and strange errors, often called “hallucinations.” Some report asking the AI to summarize documents only to have it invent details or misrepresent key points.
This perceived decline has led many initial enthusiasts to use the tool less often for serious tasks, feeling that its peak usefulness has passed. It’s a shift from daily use to infrequent checks for some.
Why might this be happening? While OpenAI doesn’t share specifics, speculation points towards tweaks aimed at lowering the high computing costs associated with running such powerful AI. Changes might also be intended to make the AI safer and less likely to generate problematic responses, which is important but could affect performance.
Another theory suggests that the free version’s capabilities might be subtly reduced to make the paid ChatGPT Plus service, which uses newer models, seem more attractive. However, cost and safety are widely considered the more likely drivers.
OpenAI maintains that its models are constantly improving. But for those who miss the performance of the early GPT-4, the company doesn’t offer access to past versions. They might need to explore alternatives like Google Gemini or Anthropic’s Claude 3 to find a similar experience today.
Despite the current feelings about its performance, that initial release of GPT-4 remains a standout tech highlight of the 2020s for many who experienced its early capabilities.
