o3-pro: OpenAI Announces High-Stakes Powerhouse for Reasoning

On June 10, 2025, OpenAI released a new AI model called o3-pro, calling it their most advanced reasoning model so far.

This new version builds on the earlier o3 model, but it’s designed to handle much more complex work. OpenAI created o3-pro for important tasks where accuracy and reliability really matter — like solving science problems, doing math, writing code, or making business decisions.

But this launch isn’t just about better technology. It’s also a smart business move.

OpenAI is now clearly dividing its AI products into two levels. The regular o3 model is now 80% cheaper, making it more affordable for everyday use. Meanwhile, o3-pro is priced much higher — $20 per million input tokens and $80 per million output tokens if used through OpenAI’s API. That’s about 10 times more than o3, showing that o3-pro is meant to be a premium product.

For users of ChatGPT Pro and Team, o3-pro now replaces the older o1-pro model, becoming the new standard for professional use. Enterprise and education customers will get access a week later.

Under the Hood: What Makes o3-pro “Pro”

OpenAI’s new model, o3-pro, is built on the same foundation as the o3 model.

Like its predecessor, it solves problems by reasoning step by step, instead of just guessing quick answers. This helps it stay clear, accurate, and easy to follow — especially for tricky tasks.

The goal behind o3-pro is simple but powerful: think longer and answer more reliably. That’s why it now replaces the older o1-pro model for ChatGPT Pro and Team users.

Smarter Tool Use for Complex Problems

A big part of what makes o3-pro special is how it uses tools. Just like o3, it can reach outside itself to complete more difficult tasks.

Here’s what it can do:

• Browse the web to find the latest information.
• Analyze files that users upload, like PDFs or spreadsheets.
• Understand images and charts, thanks to visual reasoning.
• Run Python code to do math, analyze data, or generate outputs.
• Use memory to remember things from earlier in the conversation.

What makes o3-pro better is that it uses these tools more effectively and more independently, almost like a digital assistant that knows when and how to act.

OpenAI says it designed the system to think like a human expert — break down the problem, pick the right tool, and work through it step by step. This idea is part of a new wave in AI, where models aren’t just answering questions; they’re solving full tasks.

Better Than Before: What’s New in o3-pro

OpenAI says o3-pro outperforms both the standard o3 and o1-pro models in almost every way.

In expert reviews, o3-pro was chosen more often because it gave clearer, more complete answers that followed instructions better. This held true in important areas like science, education, business, programming, and writing.

This upgrade is so major that OpenAI made o3-pro the default for Pro and Team users, replacing o1-pro entirely. That shows just how confident they are in its capabilities.

A Model That Acts More Like an Agent

The most important shift with o3-pro is how it works. Instead of just being a bigger or faster model, it’s designed to use tools like a smart agent. It can plan its steps, decide what it needs to do, and pick the right tools — just like a person would when solving a problem.

This new approach could change how businesses use AI, especially for tasks that need accuracy, context, and complex decision-making.

In short, o3-pro is not just a better version of o3 — it’s a sign of where AI is going: toward smarter, more capable systems that can handle real-world challenges by thinking carefully and working through them, step by step.

Benchmark Wins & Enterprise Bet: Performance and Positioning

The o3-pro model shows major improvements where it really counts. OpenAI released detailed results from tough benchmarks to prove that o3-pro can handle high-level thinking and problem-solving. This is important for industries like science, finance, and education, where accuracy isn’t optional.

Outperforming Rivals in Math and Science

First, o3-pro scored higher than Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro on the AIME 2024 math benchmark. This test measures how well a model can solve complex math problems step by step — not just get the right answer, but explain how. That kind of thinking is crucial in technical fields.

Second, it beat Claude 4 Opus by Anthropic on the GPQA Diamond science benchmark. This test checks for PhD-level understanding in science, and o3-pro came out on top. Together, these two wins show that o3-pro isn’t just strong — it may be leading in deep reasoning tasks.

Even OpenAI CEO Sam Altman seemed surprised by the jump in performance. He said, “I didn’t believe the win rates relative to o3 the first time I saw them.” That’s a strong statement about how far the new model has come.

The “4 Out of 4” Reliability Test

One of o3-pro’s most important new features is something OpenAI calls the “4/4 reliability” test. To pass, the model must answer the same question correctly four times in a row — not just once. This is designed to test how consistent and dependable the model really is.

Why does this matter? Because in the real world, it’s not enough to be right sometimes. Businesses need AI that gives repeatable, trustworthy answers. OpenAI built o3-pro specifically to reduce “hallucinations” — wrong or made-up answers — which have been a big problem in earlier models.

Clear Upgrade Over o3 and o1-pro

When compared to the standard o3 model, o3-pro was preferred by expert reviewers in every area: science, education, programming, business, and writing. It gave clearer, more complete answers and followed instructions better. Compared to o1-pro, which was once the go-to for high-stakes work, o3-pro is now clearly the stronger option.

Against competitors like Gemini 2.5 Pro and Claude 4 Opus, o3-pro’s benchmark wins give OpenAI a fresh edge. But the full picture is still developing — some reports suggest Claude 4 still leads in coding, for example. So while o3-pro is strong, the AI race is far from over.

Trust as a Product Feature

What really makes o3-pro stand out is OpenAI’s strong push for reliability. Instead of just showing off high test scores, they’re promoting the idea that you can count on this model. That’s huge for businesses that have been hesitant to adopt AI because of inconsistency or risk.

This move also puts pressure on rivals to prove their models are equally dependable. With o3-pro, OpenAI is saying: “Don’t just look at what our model can do — trust what it will consistently do.”

In summary, o3-pro isn’t just about better performance. It’s about building trust — and in critical fields, that might be more valuable than speed or flash.

Current Limitations and Considerations

Even though o3-pro is OpenAI’s most advanced reasoning model, it still has some early limitations. These are important to know about, especially for teams deciding if it’s the right fit for their needs.

Slower Speeds by Design

One of the biggest trade-offs with o3-pro is its longer response time. Because the model is built to reason deeply and use tools smartly, its replies can take more time to generate. This means it’s slower than o1-pro, and likely also slower than the base o3 model or faster models like GPT-4o.

OpenAI made this choice on purpose — the model is designed for accuracy over speed. Still, for apps or tasks where fast replies matter, this might be a problem.

Missing Features at Launch

There are a few other gaps at launch:

• Temporary Chats Disabled: o3-pro doesn’t currently support temporary chats — the kind that don’t save to your history. OpenAI says this is a technical issue they’re working to fix.
• No Image Generation: Unlike GPT-4o or some other models, o3-pro can’t generate images. Users who need this feature will have to switch to a different model.
• No Canvas Support: OpenAI’s Canvas platform, which helps with visual collaboration and brainstorming, isn’t supported in o3-pro yet.

These missing features might make o3-pro less useful for creative or visual work. They also mean some users will need to switch between models depending on what they’re doing — for example, using o3-pro for deep reasoning, and GPT-4o for generating diagrams or images.

How This Affects Users

These limitations affect how people use o3-pro in real projects. For example:

• Longer response times could slow down real-time chats or apps that need quick answers.
• No image generation or Canvas means users can’t do everything in one place. This adds extra steps and makes workflows more complex.
• The lack of temporary chats, even if temporary, may frustrate users who value privacy-focused or one-off sessions.

Why These Trade-offs Exist

All these choices point to a bigger idea in how AI is evolving: there’s no one model that does everything best. Instead, OpenAI seems to be creating a portfolio of models — each one optimized for specific goals.

o3-pro focuses on deep, reliable reasoning. In doing so, it gives up speed and some multimodal features. Meanwhile, GPT-4o is fast and can handle images, voice, and text — but may not go as deep when it comes to complex step-by-step tasks.

This strategy means businesses and developers might start using multiple models side by side, picking the right one for each job. It makes planning more complicated, but also allows for more cost-effective and purpose-driven AI use.

Conclusion: o3-pro and the Road Ahead

OpenAI’s o3-pro sets a new standard for reliable AI reasoning. Designed for accuracy over speed, it’s aimed at users in high-stakes fields like finance, science, and education — where getting things right matters more than getting them fast.

Its strong performance on math and science benchmarks shows promise, but slower responses and missing features like image generation may limit use in fast-moving or visual tasks. Still, for users who value clarity, consistency, and correctness, o3-pro delivers.

Adoption will depend on how well it performs in real-world settings — and how clearly OpenAI communicates its strengths and limitations. If trust and transparency grow alongside the tech, o3-pro could become the go-to model for professional-grade AI.

Article last updated on: Last updated: June 10, 2025