The AI world is buzzing with the release of GPT-4.5. Every new model promises to be better, faster, and cheaper—but does GPT-4.5 live up to the expectations? Let’s break it down in simple terms.
Does GPT-4.5 Crush Benchmarks?
Not exactly. While it’s an improvement over GPT-4, it’s not setting new records in reasoning or complex problem-solving. If you were hoping for a model that could tackle high-level math or intricate coding tasks, this might not be the upgrade you were waiting for.
Is It Faster?
You might think that since it’s an updated model, it must be lightning-fast. Unfortunately, no. In fact, it’s one of the slower models out there. If speed was your main concern, you might be disappointed.
What About the Cost?
Here’s where things get even more surprising. GPT-4.5 is actually the most expensive model on the market:
- GPT-4 API Pricing: $250 per million input tokens, $10 per million output tokens
- GPT-4.5 Pricing: $75 per million input tokens, $150 per million output tokens
- Reasoning Model (01): Just $15 per million input tokens!
For context, some alternative models like GPT-3.5 or Claude offer far cheaper options. If affordability is your top priority, GPT-4.5 might not be the best choice.
Where GPT-4.5 Shines: Fewer Hallucinations
One of the biggest challenges with AI models is hallucination—where the model makes up incorrect or misleading information. The good news? GPT-4.5 significantly reduces this problem:
- GPT-4 Hallucination Rate: 0.52
- GPT-4.5 Hallucination Rate: 0.2
That’s more than a 50% reduction in false information. If accuracy is your priority, this is a major win.
Understanding AI Scaling: More Compute, Better AI?
AI models improve as they get more training power (or “compute”). Here’s how it has scaled over time:
- GPT-1: Barely generated coherent text.
- GPT-2: More of a toy than a useful model.
- GPT-3.5: The breakthrough moment (ChatGPT went viral).
- GPT-4: Reached a “proto-AGI” stage, where it showed glimpses of human-like reasoning.
- GPT-4.5: 10x more compute than GPT-4.
So, does this mean GPT-4.5 is 10 times better? Not necessarily. The improvements are more subtle—better writing, improved coherence, and more natural reasoning.
Real-World Examples of Improvement
To really see the difference, let’s look at some creative AI prompts:
Example 1: Writing a Rick and Morty Episode
GPT-4.5’s attempt:
- Engaging dialogue
- A strong storyline
- A fourth-wall-breaking ending (very on-brand for the show)
GPT-4’s attempt:
- A flatter, less engaging plot
- Lacked the punch of an actual episode
Example 2: AI Generating Wordplay
One test involved making GPT write an Eminem-style diss track about Napoleon. Here’s how they stacked up:
GPT-4.5:
- “Napoleon thought you were bold, short-stacked by claiming tall orders.”
- “You went to Russia, thought you’d rush ya way into Moscow.”
GPT-4:
- Missed most of the wordplay elements.
- The lines were more generic and less creative.
Clearly, GPT-4.5 has a better grasp of context and abstract thinking, but the improvements are subtle.
The Real Purpose of GPT-4.5: A Data Factory?
Many experts believe GPT-4.5 isn’t meant for everyday users but rather as a synthetic data generator to train future AI models. OpenAI likely priced it high to prevent competitors from using it for training their own models.
The Big Question: Has AI Scaling Hit a Wall?
If each version is 10 times more powerful, but improvements are becoming harder to notice, we may be approaching the limits of simply throwing more computing power at the problem. Instead, the future of AI might rely more on reinforcement learning and other techniques rather than just bigger models.
Should You Use GPT-4.5?
- Use it if: You need high accuracy, better writing quality, or fewer hallucinations.
- Skip it if: You need speed, affordability, or game-changing improvements.
Final Thoughts
GPT-4.5 is a solid step forward, but it’s not a revolutionary leap. The real test will be what OpenAI builds on top of it—especially the next generation of reasoning models. If those show major improvements, then GPT-4.5’s role as a stepping stone will make more sense.