What is GPT-4o? How to Use OpenAI’s Most Versatile AI Model Yet?

In May 2024, OpenAI introduced GPT-4o, with the “o” standing for “omni”—a term often associated with words like omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, suggesting an all-encompassing intelligence. It might just be the most versatile AI model yet. Combining capabilities across text, vision, and audio in a single model, GPT-4o is not only fast and powerful but also surprisingly accessible.

What is GPT-4o?

GPT-4o is OpenAI’s first truly multimodal large language model. In simple terms, ‘multimodal’ means that it can understand and respond to multiple types of input—not just text, but also images and audio. For example, you can show it a picture, speak to it, or write to it, and it will respond appropriately using the same or different modes. Unlike previous versions that used separate models or systems for vision or speech, GPT-4o processes all modalities within one unified architecture. This allows for seamless interaction across different formats and a more coherent understanding of context in real time.

What Makes It Special?

GPT-4o is more than just a better version of GPT-4 Turbo. It represents a fundamental shift in how AI interacts with us:

• Multimodal Input/Output: You can speak to it, show it images, or write to it—and it can reply in kind.
• Real-Time Conversation: It processes audio inputs in as little as 232 milliseconds, nearly matching human speech response times.
• Emotionally Expressive Voice: Its voice outputs have tone, rhythm, and even interruptions, making it feel more human.
• Visual Analysis: GPT-4o can describe images, interpret charts, read handwriting, and more.
• Language Superpowers: It supports over 50 languages fluently, making it one of the most globally capable models available.

A Comparison to Past Models

The accessibility of GPT-4o makes it not just a technical marvel but also a democratic one. Free-tier ChatGPT users can now access GPT-4o (with limits), while Plus and Enterprise users get expanded capabilities.

Use Cases: From Everyday to Extraordinary

1. Education: GPT-4o can act as an interactive tutor, using speech, images, and text to teach concepts in real time. Imagine learning geometry with spoken explanations and drawn diagrams.

2. Business: Companies can integrate GPT-4o into customer service or productivity tools, allowing users to send screenshots or talk directly to resolve issues faster.

3. Accessibility: For visually impaired users, GPT-4o’s ability to describe images aloud opens a new level of digital access.

4. Creative Work: Writers, artists, and musicians can collaborate with GPT-4o using voice and visual prompts to co-create ideas or generate content.

Performance That Impresses

In benchmark tests like MMLU (Massive Multitask Language Understanding), GPT-4o scored 88.7—outperforming previous iterations. It can also maintain context over long sessions with a context window of up to 128,000 tokens, making it ideal for complex, ongoing conversations or documentation.

And it’s not just smarter—it’s more efficient. According to OpenAI’s announcement, GPT-4o is both twice as fast and half the price of GPT-4 Turbo on the API level.

A Human Face… And Voice

One of the most discussed features was the introduction of expressive voices. The model can sound happy, sarcastic, sad, or excited. However, this advancement also sparked debate—especially around the voice known as “Sky,” which some felt resembled Scarlett Johansson’s character in the film Her. OpenAI has since paused the rollout of that voice, clarifying that the resemblance was not intentional. (Read more here)

This incident underscores an important discussion: As AI becomes more lifelike, how do we regulate emotional authenticity and user perception?

Is GPT-4o Worth It?

If you’re wondering whether GPT-4o is worth your attention, the answer depends on what you want from AI. Are you looking for a model that can understand images, listen to you speak, and reply like a real human being—all in one interface? Then GPT-4o is absolutely worth trying.

Its versatility makes it useful across education, content creation, customer support, and accessibility. And with access available even to free users (with limitations), it lowers the barrier to advanced AI for everyone.

While it may not be the most powerful model in every single task, GPT-4o shines in its ability to do many things well. It’s not just smart—it’s social, expressive, and fast.

In a world of specialized tools, GPT-4o is the all-in-one multitool. For most people, that’s more than worth it.

If you’re still unsure, the best part is—you can try GPT-4o for free right now through ChatGPT’s official website.