OpenAI has skipped its biggest investor, Microsoft Corp.'s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows 11, instead launching the ChatGPT app for Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) macOS operating system while unveiling the new GPT-4o model.

What Happened: OpenAI's CTO Mira Murati announced the launch of the ChatGPT desktop app during an event on Monday.

Microsoft is OpenAI's single biggest stakeholder, having invested over $13 billion so far. Despite this, OpenAI's new ChatGPT app for computers has landed on Apple's Macs first. The Windows version is expected to be launched later this year, but OpenAI has not given an exact timeline just yet.

The app features a refreshed user interface and allows users to ask ChatGPT questions about their screen content, either by typing or speaking. The AI then provides responses based on the visual input.

Users can access the ChatGPT app using the Option + Space keyboard shortcut and can also take and discuss screenshots within the app.

The app will initially be available only to ChatGPT Plus users, with a broader rollout planned in the coming weeks.

OpenAI has also introduced a new UI for ChatGPT, which includes minor changes to the home screen and message layout. The company aims to enhance the user experience, making interactions with ChatGPT more natural and intuitive.

Alongside the new app and UI, OpenAI has also unveiled its new GTP-4o model, which is available to all users for free.

ChatGPT app | Photo courtesy: OpenAI

Why It Matters: The launch of the ChatGPT desktop app comes on the heels of OpenAI's introduction of a more efficient and cost-effective version of its AI model, GPT-4, called GPT-4o.

This new model is trained on extensive internet data and is designed to handle text, audio, and images in real time more effectively.

GPT-4o also offers features that were previously limited to paid subscribers, including web searches, multilingual responses, and data storage.

OpenAI's recent developments have sparked discussions about the company's potential to challenge Alphabet Inc.'s crown jewel, Google Search, as noted by tech analyst Gene Munster.

However, not everyone is convinced of OpenAI's capabilities. Tesla Inc. CEO and xAI founder Elon Musk expressed skepticism about OpenAI's latest AI model development.

Following the unveiling of GPT-4o, Musk shrugged off the announcement, suggesting that the AI's capabilities were not as significant as claimed.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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