OpenAI Promises to Fix GPT Model Naming Chaos by Summer

OpenAI is officially addressing one of its most persistent user complaints: the confusing naming of its GPT models. CEO Sam Altman recently acknowledged that the current system, filled with cryptic labels like GPT‑4o, o3‑mini, and gpt‑4‑1106-preview, is “atrocious.” He confirmed that OpenAI plans to simplify model names by this summer, likely coinciding with the anticipated launch of GPT‑5.

The move aims to unify the o‑series and GPT‑series under a single naming convention that prioritizes function over fragment-style identifiers. This is expected to affect how users engage with ChatGPT’s model picker and how developers access models via the API. Instead of navigating a maze of suffixes and previews, users may interact with streamlined model tiers like “GPT‑5 Standard” or “GPT‑5 Pro.”

The shift reflects OpenAI’s intent to align with competitors like Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot, which use cleaner, role-based branding. It also responds directly to months of feedback from developers and end users who struggled to differentiate models or identify the latest capabilities. By eliminating internal code-style labels from user-facing tools, OpenAI is working to reduce friction and confusion across its platform.

For developers building AI workflows or products, a unified model strategy could mean fewer changes to code, clearer upgrade paths, and more predictable pricing tiers. For everyday users, it promises a simpler and less technical interaction with one of the world’s most powerful AI platforms.

Let’s be honest. it’s still a mess picking the right model for any given task. Even if you try to ask an LLM which one to use, chances are its knowledge is outdated by several months. And good luck parsing model cards or API docs while on a deadline. What’s missing is brutally simple. A dedicated, always-updated model advisor that acts like a concierge, not a search engine. Something that takes your use case and tells you which model wins on accuracy, latency, and cost. Until that exists, we’re all still fumbling in the dark with a flashlight that lies.