OpenAI has announced an unexpected delay for the highly anticipated open-weights model, but the CEO Sam Altman suggests that the wait will be worthwhile. While initially, the company had planned for an early summer release, the open-weights model is now expected to arrive later this summer, with June no longer being the target. 
In a recent post on X, Altman revealed that the delay was due to the team accomplishing something “unexpected” and “amazing,” hinting that this development would make the extra wait well worth it.
The open-weights model is significant because it would allow anyone, from individuals to companies, to access OpenAI’s fully-trained AI models, eliminating the need to build or train AI systems from scratch. This could empower smaller companies or independent researchers to implement advanced AI systems in their own projects.
Altman did not provide specific details about the reason for the delay, but it seems that the unexpected development could enhance the model’s capabilities. With AI technology advancing at a rapid pace, the open-weights model is entering a highly competitive market, with rivals such as Mistral, Deepseek, Microsoft, and Google also investing heavily in open-weights AI.
In addition to the open-weights model, the tech world is eagerly awaiting the release of GPT-5, the latest iteration of OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT. While no official date has been announced, many analysts speculate that the update could launch in the coming months, with some predicting a July release. Originally, GPT-5 was expected to be released in May, but it appears that delays have pushed the launch back further.