- GPT-4.1 and GPT-4.1 mini officially arrive on ChatGPT, with preferential access for paying users.
- The new versions feature an expanded context window, improved performance, and reduced costs.
- GPT-4.1 mini replaces GPT-4o mini as the default option, also benefiting free users.
- These updates mark a leap in efficiency for encoding, text generation, and multimodal integration tasks.
The arrival of GPT-4.1 to the OpenAI ecosystem represents an important step in the evolution of Chat GPTFor a long time, new versions of language models were reserved primarily for developers or users accessing them through the API, but the company has opted to progressively expand access and improve the experience for premium users as well as those using the service for free.
Since this month of May, ChatGPT users with Plus, Pro, and Team subscriptions You can now select GPT-4.1 from the models menu.Additionally, OpenAI announced that it anticipates making it available for Enterprise and Edu accounts soon.
Free plans have not been completely left out, in as much as GPT-4.1 mini replaces GPT-4o mini as the default model, providing access to a lighter version, yet sufficient for most daily tasks.
The keys to GPT-4.1: context, efficiency, and cost
One of the most notable advances of GPT-4.1 and its mini version is Context window expanded to one million tokensThis leap allows both developers and users to work with much larger volumes of text, code, documents, or even multimedia data in a single query, increasing the processing length by eight times compared to previous models.
Efficiency has also been a priority. OpenAI has highlighted that the response speed is superior to previous generations: the model can generate the first token in approximately 15 seconds after processing 128.000 tokens, and even with a full window of one million tokens the response time is competitive. For those who value agility, the mini version It further speeds up generation, excelling in everyday tasks and low latency requirements.
Cost reduction is another of the tangible improvements. The company has announced a reduction of up to 26% compared to GPT-4o for medium-sized queries and a higher discount on repeated operations thanks to cache optimization. In addition, Long context capabilities are offered at no extra cost at the standard token rate, facilitating access to advanced features with a lower investment.
Improvements in coding, tracking, and multimodal integration
The integration of GPT-4.1 also redefines the standard for tasks of programming and following instructions. According to data shared by OpenAI and various media, this model obtains 38,3% in MultiChallenge, 10,5 points more than GPT-4o, and 54,6% in SWE-bench Verified, surpassing both GPT-4o and the preview GPT-4.5. These improvements position GPT-4.1 as the preferred choice for those using ChatGPT in software development, both for writing and debugging code.
In aspects of understanding long contexts and multimodal capabilities, GPT-4.1 has obtained Significant results in analysis of videos, images, diagrams, maps and graphs, reaching 72% in uncaptioned video tests, surpassing its predecessor models. For those working with complex data, this advancement provides significant assistance in interpreting and extracting relevant information.
In addition, human evaluators and independent testing show a preference for GPT-4.1-generated solutions in areas such as web development, front-end design, and functional app development.
The mini version: advanced access for all audiences
The onset of GPT-4.1 mini change expectations for users without ChatGPT subscriptionThis more compact yet robust variant outperforms its predecessor, the GPT-4o mini, in benchmarks and offers a sufficiently advanced experience for studies, everyday tasks, and small development projects. Although it reduces some features of the main version, maintains multimodal analysis, instruction tracking and offers a marked improvement in latency and cost, with reductions of up to 83%.
This breakthrough allows Most of OpenAI's core features are accessible to everyone. Additionally, GPT-4.1 mini extends the usefulness of ChatGPT without upgrading to paid plans, even when the usage limit is reached on other models.
Deployment, criticism and the challenge of the variety of models
The introduction of GPT-4.1 and its variants has significantly expanded the catalog available in ChatGPT. In some cases, Up to nine different models can appear simultaneously for paying users, which has caused some difficulty in choosing the best option for the task. OpenAI promises simplify and unify these lines in the future, although the current situation may generate uncertainty among those who are not so familiar with the technical differences.
Another aspect that has been the subject of debate is the initial absence of a Official security report for GPT-4.1Some academic experts have called for greater transparency regarding the risks and performance of new models. OpenAI has responded by opening a public Security Assessment Center, where it will publish periodic reviews to increase community trust.
Retirement of previous models and the future of the OpenAI catalog
The presence of GPT-4.1 and GPT-4.1 mini involves the gradual withdrawal of previous versions. OpenAI reported that GPT-4.5 Preview will be discontinued in July 2025. and developers will have to adapt to new models. This strategy reflects the commitment to more efficient and cost-effective cloud models, with better compatibility for existing integrations.
OpenAI also remains committed to improving the user experience by developing improvements in response to community needs of developers and based on real use cases.
The progress in the integration of GPT-4.1 and its mini version represents a significant step for OpenAI and ChatGPT. The company continues to focus on improving performance, expanding access, and reducing costs in an increasingly competitive and technologically challenging market.
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