ChatGPT Switches Default Model to GPT-4.1 Mini for All Users, Subscribers Get GPT-4.1

May 17, 2025 May 17, 2025

ChatGPT Gets a Major Upgrade: GPT-4.1 is Here!

ChatGPT Gets a Major Upgrade: GPT-4.1 is Now Available!

OpenAI has made a significant upgrade to its popular ChatGPT platform, integrating its latest and greatest language model, GPT-4.1. This powerful update is rolling out now, bringing enhanced capabilities to users across various subscription levels.

GPT-4.1: What's New and Improved?

The most significant change is the introduction of GPT-4.1 as the default model for all ChatGPT users, even those using the free version. This update brings several key improvements:

Increased Context Window: Both GPT-4.1 and its smaller counterpart, GPT-4.1 mini, boast a massive one million token context window. This means the AI can process significantly more text and media in a single prompt than before (GPT-4.0 was limited to 128,000 tokens). This allows for more complex interactions and the analysis of larger documents.
Improved Speed: OpenAI claims that GPT-4.1 is faster and more efficient, making it particularly beneficial for everyday coding tasks. This addresses a common criticism of some larger language models—slow response times.
Enhanced Instruction Following: GPT-4.1 shows improvements in understanding and accurately following complex instructions, leading to more precise and relevant responses.
Superior Coding Capabilities: OpenAI highlights significant improvements in the model's ability to handle coding tasks, generating cleaner and more efficient code.

Who Gets GPT-4.1 and When?

The rollout of GPT-4.1 is happening in phases:

ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Team subscribers: These users have immediate access to the full GPT-4.1 model.
All other users (free accounts): All users, regardless of subscription, now have access to GPT-4.1 mini as the default model. This provides many of the benefits of GPT-4.1, albeit with a slightly different architecture tailored for broader accessibility.
Enterprise and Education users: Access for these users is promised "in the coming weeks," according to OpenAI's official announcement. See the announcement on X (formerly Twitter).

Siri Integration Enhanced with GPT-4.1 mini

If you have enabled the ChatGPT extension for Apple Intelligence (meaning you've connected ChatGPT with Siri on your Apple devices), Siri will now likely default to using GPT-4.1 mini for processing your requests. This integration should lead to faster and potentially more accurate responses from Siri itself.

Safety and Reliability

OpenAI emphasizes that both GPT-4.1 and GPT-4.1 mini have undergone rigorous safety evaluations before their public release. Details on OpenAI's safety evaluation process are available here. This commitment to safety is crucial to ensure responsible development and deployment of these powerful AI models.

The Significance of this Upgrade

This update is more than just a minor tweak; it represents a significant step forward in the evolution of large language models. The increased context window, enhanced speed, and improved performance across various tasks demonstrate OpenAI's commitment to continuous improvement and innovation. This benefits both paying subscribers who gain access to the cutting-edge GPT-4.1 and all other users who will enjoy the benefits of the improved GPT-4.1 mini.