TMTPOST -- OpenAI seems ready for   the next-generation large artificial   intelligence ( AI )   model   while   escalating the price war.

Screenshot from OpenAI Podcast

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman   implied the company ’ s   next flagship large language   model   ( LLM )   would hit the market this summer.   Asked   about the timeframe of GPT-5   during   the startup ’ s newly-launched official   podcast on Wednesday, Altman   said   the   model   is coming   "probably sometime this summer", adding that   the exact timeframe   is not clear yet.

GPT-5 is expected to integrates   many of   OpenAI ’ s advanced AI capabilities, particularly in areas like multimodal processing, improved reasoning, advanced voice model,   media   generation and enhanced memory.   Altman in   February said   OpenAI ’ s two primary   lines of   models--the traditional LLMs, or GPT   models, and reasoning O models   would combine into   a single line   of models, starting with GPT-5.  

Altman   on Wednesday   indicated   GPT-5   may   represent   more than   a performance   upgrade. It could be deemed as OpenAI ’ s first real stride   toward unified, agent-like models,   moving closer to   its artificial general intelligence ( AGI ) vision.    "I think we are near the end of this current mountain," he said. "I am excited to just get to GPT-5, GPT-6, and I think that ’ ll be easier for people to use."  

OpenAI is internally debating whether to go with GPT-5, then 5.1, 5.2, or keep doing updates like GPT-4o to avoid confusion. Altman suggested   the   company could alter the naming conventions.    "Should we just keep calling those GPT-5, right? GPT-4o? Or should we call those 51253?" he   asked.  

As a   single, integrated   system   with advanced features   like   multimodality, memory and   reasoning, GPT-5 allows users not to toggle between specialized models. Altman   stressed   its   ability to personalize   interactions and boost   responsiveness over time. "More sophisticated memory is probably my favorite recent feature," he   said.

Altman hinted he is open to   ads on   ChatGPT, stating he's "not totally against" the idea-a shift that could reshape how the chatbot is monetized.   But   he warned   it would take "a lot of care" to get the experience right.   He   emphasized that modifying the model's output based on who pays for the ad would be "a trust-destroying moment" for its users.  

Wednesday saw OpenAI   was reported to offer   its major business customers deep   discounts. OpenAI has started   selling ChatGPT   at discounted rates   when customers agree   spend money on additional AI   products,   The Information   cited a spokesperson   for the startup   and   executives at large   companies.  

OpenAI   reportedly discounted ChatGPT   Enterprise   10% to   20%   for customers which sign   a multiyear agreement to buy other   AI tools, including a   bespoke   version   of its Deep Research agent   and its   Codex coding agent. Customers can also   get   discounts   if   they commit to spending a certain amount on OpenAI ’ s   application programming interface ( API )   to its   models, according   to the   report.

The   reported discounts   were part of OpenAI ‘ s   efforts   to expand   its   customer   base and challenge   rivals, including its largest shareholder Microsoft   Corporation,   as it seeks dominance   in   enterprise AI   adoption.   Microsoft salsespeople have lost some deals because they didn ’ t get approval to match   OpenAI ’ s   discounts, per the report.  

OpenAI earlier   this   year told investors ChatGPT Enterprise had hauled   $100   million in   revenue last   year,   and it anticipated   the Enterprise product   would generate   $400   million for this   year   with 2   million subscribers. Revenue for the next   year is projected to be   $1 billion, and the annual revenue would   come   in at $6.2   billion   for 2030,   with 16 million   subscribers, up from   4   million in   2026.