OpenAI is set to release its next-generation artificial intelligence model, codenamed Orion, by December 2023, according to The Verge. The release is expected to mark approximately two years since the launch of ChatGPT, OpenAI's widely popular AI chatbot.

Unlike previous models, such as GPT-4 and the recently launched o1 model, OpenAI plans a phased release for Orion, The Verge reports. Initial access will be limited to OpenAI's close corporate partners, allowing these firms to build and test customised applications and features with the model. Microsoft, OpenAI's principal deployment partner, is reportedly preparing to host Orion on its Azure cloud platform by as early as November, according to sources cited by The Verge. However, OpenAI and Microsoft have declined to confirm details regarding the release timeline.

Orion, anticipated to be more powerful than its predecessor GPT-4, has been described by an OpenAI executive as potentially 100 times more capable. This new model is expected to be a milestone in OpenAI's ongoing pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI), a level of machine intelligence comparable to human cognitive capabilities. The model's development process has involved synthetic data generated through the recently launched o1 model, internally referred to as Strawberry, which has reportedly accelerated Orion's training.

OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, hinted at the upcoming release in a cryptic social media post on X (formerly Twitter) in September, stating that he was "excited for the winter constellations to rise soon." Observers have noted that Orion, a prominent winter constellation, will be visible in the northern hemisphere from November onwards.

The timing of Orion's release is significant for OpenAI, coming on the heels of a $6.6 billion funding round, one of the largest in the AI sector. This funding requires OpenAI to restructure its organisation as a for-profit entity, a shift that has coincided with internal changes, including the recent departures of Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati, Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew, and Vice President of Post-Training, Barret Zoph.