On Tuesday, OpenAI launched two open-weight AI reasoning models. Features of both models are identical to the o-series of OpenAI. As stated by the company, both models can be downloaded for free through the Hugging Face online developer platform. The models are referred to as “state-of-the-art” when evaluated against a number of open model comparison benchmarks.
The AI reasoning models by OpenAI are available in two sizes: the compact gpt-oss-20b model, which can run on a consumer laptop with 16GB of RAM, and the larger and more powerful gpt-oss-120b model, which can run on a single Nvidia GPU. With this launch, OpenAI has released its first “open” language model since GPT-2, which came out over five years ago.
As TechCrunch previously reported, OpenAI stated in a briefing that its open models will be able to transmit sophisticated queries to cloud-based AI models. This implies that developers can link OpenAI’s open model to one of the company’s more powerful closed models if the open model is unable to do a particular task, like processing an image.
Although OpenAI initially made its AI models publicly available, the company has often preferred a closed-source, proprietary development methodology. The latter tactic has assisted OpenAI in becoming a sizable business by granting developers and businesses access to its AI models through an API.
But when it comes to open sourcing its technologies, OpenAI has been “on the wrong side of history,” according to CEO Sam Altman’s January statement. Chinese AI labs, such as DeepSeek, Alibaba’s Qwen, and Moonshot AI, have created some of the most powerful and well-liked open models in the world, and they are putting increasing pressure on the firm today.
In order to encourage the worldwide use of AI that is consistent with American ideals, the Trump Administration also asked American AI developers to open source more of their technology in July.Having seen the Chinese AI laboratories gain notoriety in the open-source domain, OpenAI intends to win over developers and the Trump Administration with the release of gpt-oss.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in a statement said:
“Going back to when we started in 2015, OpenAI’s mission is to ensure AGI that benefits all of humanity,”“To that end, we are excited for the world to be building on an open AI stack created in the United States, based on democratic values, available for free to all and for wide benefit.”
In recent months, OpenAI has repeatedly postponed the distribution of its open models, in part due to safety concerns. In official report, OpenAI states that additionally to its regular safety operations, it also studied the possibilities that hackers might tweak its gpt-oss models in order to make them more effective for cyberattacks or for the production of chemical or biological weapons.
The startup claims gpt-oss may somewhat improve biological capabilities following testing by OpenAI and outside evaluators. Nevertheless, even after fine-tuning, it found no proof that these open models could achieve the “high capability” criterion for hazard in these fields.
Developers are excitedly anticipating the release of DeepSeek R2, OpenAI’s next AI reasoning model, as well as a new open model from Meta’s new superintelligence lab, even though the company’s model seems to be the most advanced of its kind.
