OpenAI's 12-Day Launch Event: From Sora to o3, A Leap in AI Technology

Introduction
From December 5 to 16, 2024, OpenAI hosted a 12-day series of launch events under the theme "AI Everywhere." Each day, a new product or feature update was unveiled, showcasing OpenAI's leadership in the AI field and setting the direction for the future of AI technology. From the video generation model Sora to the near-AGI-level o3 reasoning model, OpenAI redefined the boundaries of AI technology in just 12 days.
This article, written in the tone of a tech blog, will delve into the highlights of these 12 days, exploring their impact on the industry. Aimed at highly educated professionals, we will analyze the technical details, application scenarios, and future prospects of this AI revolution.

Day 1: o1 Full Version and ChatGPT Pro Subscription
On the first day, OpenAI launched the o1 full version and the ChatGPT Pro subscription service. The o1 full version saw a 34% performance improvement, a 34% reduction in error rates, and added support for multimodal inputs, enabling it to handle complex mathematical and programming tasks. ChatGPT Pro, priced at $200 per month, offers unlimited access to o1 and the professional version of o1, targeting high-end users and enterprise clients.
Highlights: The o1 full version's multimodal capabilities were significantly enhanced, with improved language understanding and a 50% increase in response speed. This update laid the foundation for subsequent technical upgrades.
Day 2: Reinforcement Fine-Tuning
On the second day, OpenAI introduced Reinforcement Fine-Tuning, a technique that optimizes a model's reasoning capabilities in specific domains using minimal data. This technology is particularly suited for complex fields such as healthcare, law, and finance, significantly enhancing the model's specialization.
Future Outlook: OpenAI plans to release the API for this technology in Spring 2025, allowing developers to integrate it into their applications and expand AI use cases.
Day 3: Sora Official Release
On the third day, OpenAI officially released Sora, a video generation model capable of producing 1080p videos up to 20 seconds long. Sora offers features such as storyboarding, video blending, and smart looping. User feedback highlighted the realistic quality of Sora's outputs, though improvements are still needed in physics and motion handling.
Usage Restrictions: Currently, Sora is only available to ChatGPT Plus and Pro users, with plans to expand access in the future.
Day 4: ChatGPT Canvas Fully Open
On the fourth day, OpenAI announced the full opening of ChatGPT Canvas, a productivity tool integrating smart writing, code collaboration, and AI agents. Canvas supports Python code execution and image recognition, enabling users to co-edit documents and code with AI, significantly boosting efficiency.
Accessibility: Canvas was expanded from subscription users to all free users, lowering the barrier to entry.
Day 5: ChatGPT Integrates with Apple Intelligence
On the fifth day, OpenAI announced ChatGPT's integration with Apple's ecosystem, enabling Siri to call ChatGPT. This collaboration allows ChatGPT to provide document analysis, visual intelligence, and multi-device collaboration, significantly enhancing the intelligence of Apple devices.
Market Impact: Although the Chinese version is not yet supported, this partnership opens a broader market for OpenAI.
Day 6: Enhanced Advanced Voice Mode
On the sixth day, OpenAI released an enhanced version of the Advanced Voice Mode, adding video input, screen sharing, and a Santa Claus virtual character. The multimodal 4o model supports over 50 languages, further improving user experience.
Application Scenarios: This update is not only suitable for work and study but also offers more possibilities for entertainment.
Day 7: Projects Feature Launch
On the seventh day, OpenAI introduced the Projects feature, supporting project management, file and data management, and personalized customization. Projects combines the functionalities of Canvas and ChatGPT Search, simplifying team collaboration.
Target Users: Projects is aimed at enterprise and education users, with plans for a full release in early 2025.
Day 8: ChatGPT Search Fully Upgraded
On the eighth day, OpenAI fully upgraded ChatGPT Search, optimizing search speed and adding support for voice search, real-time web search, and map experiences.
Accessibility: ChatGPT Search is now available to all logged-in users worldwide for free, enhancing its market competitiveness.
Day 9: o1 Reasoning Model API Opens
On the ninth day, OpenAI announced the opening of the o1 reasoning model API, adding function calling, developer messaging, and image analysis capabilities while reducing costs by 60%.
Developer Support: OpenAI also released beta versions of Go and Java SDKs, simplifying real-time voice application development.
Day 10: ChatGPT via Phone and WhatsApp
On the tenth day, OpenAI announced that users could access ChatGPT via phone and WhatsApp. This feature lowers the barrier to entry, making it accessible on smartphones, landlines, and even basic phones.
Market Response: U.S. users receive 15 minutes of free call time per month, further enhancing user experience.
Day 11: ChatGPT Deep Integration with Mac Apps
On the eleventh day, OpenAI announced ChatGPT's deep integration with Mac apps, enabling collaboration with Warp, XCode, and other applications to improve programming and writing efficiency.
Limitations: Currently, this feature is only available to Mac users, with Windows users needing to wait for future updates.
Day 12: o3 Model Takes Center Stage
On the final day, OpenAI unveiled the o3 model, the highlight of the event. o3 demonstrated exceptional performance in benchmarks such as Codeforces, GPQA, and AIME, nearing AGI levels.
Technical Highlights: The o3 model features transparent reasoning mechanisms and multimodal processing capabilities, alongside a lightweight o3 Mini for broader applications.
Cost Concerns: In high-power mode, the cost of a single o3 task can reach $3,500, potentially limiting its widespread adoption.
Conclusion and Outlook
OpenAI's 12-day launch event showcased leaps in AI technology across video generation, reasoning capabilities, and productivity tools. From Sora to o3, OpenAI not only advanced the commercialization of AI but also paved the way for AGI.
Future Outlook: As technology continues to evolve, AI will play an increasingly important role in various fields. OpenAI's event has injected new energy into the AI industry, leaving us eagerly anticipating the future of AI.