Chat GPT just got another brain boost with GPT-5.4 Thinking — and it’s built for bigger, more complex tasks | Tech Radar

Overview

Chat GPT just got another brain boost with GPT-5.4 Thinking — and it’s built for bigger, more complex tasks

But Chat GPT 5.3 stays the default for regular conversations

Details

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Open AI has introduced Chat GPT 5.4 Thinking in Chat GPT to handle more complex reasoning and multi-step tasks

Chat GPT 5.3 Instant will remain the default model for everyday conversations in Chat GPT

The new model allows Plus, Team, and Pro users to guide the AI as it plans and completes larger projects

Barely a few days after Open AI introduced Chat GPT 5.3 Instant, Chat GPT has received an additional upgrade called Chat GPT 5.4 Thinking, powered by the new GPT-5.4 model. Chat GPT 5.4 Thinking, along with a higher-performance Chat GPT 5.4 Pro are rolling out for the "Thinking" tool, while Chat GPT 5.3 Instant remains the default model powering most Chat GPT conversations.

The most important detail is how the new model fits into Chat GPT’s structure. Chat GPT 5.3 is basically the version optimized for speed and conversational flow, while Chat GPT 5.4 Thinking is designed for situations that require more complex reasoning. It appears as an optional mode for Plus, Team, and Pro subscribers, allowing users to switch into a more analytical version of the model when they need it.

That distinction between speed and depth reflects a broader shift in how Chat GPT is being developed. Instead of relying on a single model to handle every situation, Open AI is building a layered system in which different models serve different roles.

Chat GPT 5.2 is here and ready to show you professional AI

Open AI introduces new Chat GPT 5.3 Instant to ‘reduce the cringe’ for users

The most visible difference with Chat GPT 5.4 Thinking is how the model explains its approach. When given a complicated prompt, the chatbot will offer a short explanation of how it plans to solve the problem. This preview allows the user to intervene while the response is still unfolding. If the model’s plan misses the mark, the user can adjust its direction before the final output arrives. Essentially, Chat GPT 5.4 thinks out loud and lets you interrupt and correct it.

Imagine asking Chat GPT to plan a family vacation. With Chat GPT 5.4 Thinking enabled, the system might start by describing the steps it intends to take. It could say it will look for travel dates, estimate costs, compare flight options, and outline a daily itinerary. If the user prefers road trips instead of flights or wants to prioritize museums over beaches, that change can happen before the itinerary is generated.

The feature also works well with longer prompts. Chat GPT 5.4 is designed to maintain a stronger awareness of earlier parts of the conversation while working through multi-step problems. That allows it to handle more complicated requests without losing track of the overall goal. Open AI describes this improvement as part of a broader effort to make Chat GPT more useful for professional tasks rather than simply interesting conversation.

Open AI says GPT-5.4 performs especially well in areas such as document creation, spreadsheet analysis, and presentation design. The model was evaluated using tasks that resemble the kind of work performed across dozens of professional occupations. In those tests, GPT-5.4 matched or exceeded human professionals in a large majority of comparisons.

Spreadsheet modeling is a particularly strong area. Open AI says the model scored significantly higher than GPT-5.2 on tasks similar to the financial modeling assignments often handled by junior analysts.

The improvements also extend to visual understanding. GPT-5.4 can analyze high-resolution images and complex documents more effectively, which helps when interpreting charts, diagrams, or scanned paperwork. For a regular Chat GPT user, that combination of capabilities means the chatbot becomes more useful for tasks that involve real information rather than abstract questions.

A user might ask Chat GPT to analyze a dataset, produce a spreadsheet model, write a report summarizing the results, and create slides explaining the findings. GPT-5.4 is designed to handle that entire chain of tasks with fewer revisions.

Chat GPT upgrades AI image-maker to be more responsive and useful

I tested Chat GPT 5.2 and Gemini 3 head-to-head on what really matters

Chat GPT 5.2 is now available, but Reddit users claim it's 'boring' and 'worse than 5.1.'

Even with the arrival of GPT-5.4 Thinking, GPT-5.3 Instant continues to play a central role in the Chat GPT experience.

GPT-5.3 Instant remains the default model that powers the standard chat interface. It was introduced to make conversations smoother, reduce unnecessary refusals, and produce faster answers. That focus on speed and responsiveness makes it well-suited for everyday interactions such as brainstorming ideas, answering questions, or drafting quick messages.

GPT-5.4 Thinking is positioned differently. Because it performs deeper reasoning and more complex analysis, it requires more computational effort. Open AI has limited access to the Thinking mode to Plus, Team, and Pro subscribers. Users who need even more power can access GPT-5.4 Pro through Pro and Enterprise plans. That version is designed for particularly demanding tasks such as advanced coding or complex analytical work.

This layered approach allows Chat GPT to balance speed and capability. GPT-5.3 Instant handles the majority of everyday conversations, while GPT-5.4 Thinking is available when users need more sophisticated reasoning.

Open AI’s decision to keep GPT-5.3 Instant as the default also highlights something important about the direction of modern AI. Raw capability is only part of the equation. For most people, what matters just as much is speed, responsiveness, and a system that feels natural to use.

The future of AI may not arrive through sudden breakthroughs alone, but through quieter updates like this one — small shifts in how these systems reason, respond, and fit into everyday tasks.

Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow Tech Radar on Tik Tok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on Whats App too.

➡️ Read our full guide to the best business laptops

1. Best overall: Dell Precision 5690
2. Best on a budget: Acer Aspire 5
3. Best Mac Book: Apple Mac Book Pro 14-inch (M4)

Eric Hal Schwartz is a freelance writer for Tech Radar with more than 15 years of experience covering the intersection of the world and technology. For the last five years, he served as head writer for Voicebot.ai and was on the leading edge of reporting on generative AI and large language models. He's since become an expert on the products of generative AI models, such as Open AI’s Chat GPT, Anthropic’s Claude, Google Gemini, and every other synthetic media tool. His experience runs the gamut of media, including print, digital, broadcast, and live events. Now, he's continuing to tell the stories people want and need to hear about the rapidly evolving AI space and its impact on their lives. Eric is based in New York City.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

1 Canon could launch a game-changing f/1.4 zoom lens this year — but with one likely catch

2'Straight up lies': Anthropic CEO attacks Open AI's US military announcement in leaked memo — as new report suggests company is back in talks with Pentagon

3‘You can see someone going to the toilet, or getting undressed’ — contractors warn your Meta AI glasses might see more than you realize

4 The Boys season 5 final trailer reveals Homelander's unsettling plan for world domination — but it evades my biggest question about the Prime Video show's last chapter

5 Best Buy is already discounting Apple's brand-new devices — score discounts on the Mac Book Neo, i Pad Air, and Mac Book Pro

Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Key Takeaways

• Chat GPT just got another brain boost with GPT-5

• When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission

• Open AI has introduced Chat GPT 5