OpenAI appears to be working on a so-called model router that automatically determines which language model best suits a user’s query.
This was reported by VentureBeat based on posts on X, including one by an OpenAI researcher who goes by the name Roon. And by Yuchen Jin, CTO of Hyperbolic Labs. The feature should help users choose between the seven different models now available within ChatGPT Plus and higher subscriptions.
Since the launch of ChatGPT 2.5 years ago, OpenAI has steadily expanded its range of models. Paying users can currently choose from GPT-4o, o3, o4-mini, o4-mini-high, GPT-4.5 (research preview), GPT-4.1, and GPT-4.1-mini, among others.
Each model has its own qualities. These range from strong performance in reasoning, such as in mathematics and programming, to better results in creative or communicative tasks. Although OpenAI explains what a model is intended for with each release, many users find it difficult to make the right choice.
The router should solve this problem by automatically selecting the most suitable model for a specific prompt. According to Roon, presumably the pseudonym of OpenAI researcher Tarun Gogineni, manual model selection will still be possible, but the new feature will prevent doctors, for example, from accidentally sticking with a less powerful model. His comments appeared in a now-deleted post on X, in response to concerns from users who prefer to retain control over which model they use.
New model names
Yuchen Jin also confirms the existence of the router and links it to the development of GPT-5. According to him, it is not a single model, but multiple models that are automatically selected via the router based on the type of input. Think of reasoning, non-reasoning, or the use of tools. He states that this is why OpenAI previously spoke about revising the model names. Prompts would then no longer be linked to a specific model, but would be automatically forwarded to the most suitable model.
OpenAI did not respond to VentureBeat’s questions about the development of the router. If the feature is actually implemented, it could lower the barrier for a wider group of users to get the most out of ChatGPT.