Generative AI giant OpenAI unleashed its newest product on the world Tuesday. GPT-4, the next-generation large language model, a step up from the one that took the world by storm in the form of ChatGPT, is out.

But unlike with ChatGPT's launch last November, this isn't just a web app anyone can try out for free.

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What is GPT-4?

If you're confused as to how we got to number 4 already, given that ChatGPT just came out late last year, a bit of clarity first: OpenAI has been releasing GPT language models since 2018. GPT-3, the third such release, was the most advanced model when ChatGPT, its chatbot product was released in 2022. GPT-4 is the latest and most powerful large language model from Open AI, but currently, if you only have free access to ChatGPT, you'll still be interacting with the GPT-3 model (Well, GPT-3.5if you want to get technical).

How can I access GPT-4 with ChatGPT+?

If you want to generate text freely with the GPT-4 model, you will need a paid subscription to ChatGPT+, the premium version of ChatGPT. Here's how to get that:

Credit: Screengrab / OpenAI

As OpenAI's announcement page for GPT-4 makes clear, GPT-4 is the model being used by ChatGPT, but only if you're a premium member with access to ChatGPT+ (sometimes styled "ChatGPT Plus"). If you're logged into your OpenAI account, the button on that page will take you directly to ChatGPT, and if you're a paying ChatGPT+ user, that's that. Have fun!

If, however, you're using a free membership, you'll need to upgrade. Click the "Upgrade to Plus" button in the left menu.

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Credit: Screengrab / OpenAI

You'll then be served a popup, informing you about the virtues of the "Plus" upgrade.

Credit: Screengrab / OpenAI

The green "Upgrade Plan" button will whisk you to a standard e-commerce sales page, where you'll need to input the usual information, and cough up $20 per month.

Credit: Screengrab / OpenAI

Once you're a paying customer, your access to the new model via ChatGPT will be immediate. No waitlist for you.

When starting a new chat, a pulldown will give you the option to use one of the old models or GPT-4. You'll want to heed OpenAI's warning that GPT-4 is not as fast as the others, because the speed difference is substantial.

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Credit: Screengrab / OpenAI

If you're already in the middle of using ChatGPT, you may be prompted to make the switch to GPT-4. If you do, a text bar will be added to the middle of your existing chat, saying, "The previous model used in this conversation is unavailable. We've switched you to the latest default model." Old outputs that used GPT-3 will have the old, green OpenAI logo to their left, while GPT-4-powered outputs will be rocking a new, black logo.

Credit: Screengrab / OpenAI

How to access GPT-4 for free

You can't currently access GPT-4 with the free version of ChatGPT.

Millions of Bing users, however, can already access the new Bing chatbot. If you're in that select group, Microsoft has confirmed that GPT-4 is already powering your chatbot interactions.

And soon, you may soon haveno choice but to use GPT-4 in your everyday life, because according to OpenAI's blog post about its uses, GPT-4 is already being put to use by clients as diverse as Khan Academy, Stripe, Morgan Stanley, and the government of Iceland. In other words, there's a good chance you're going to be interacting with GPT-4 soon, whether you like it or not.

TopicsArtificial Intelligence