Why it matters: If you use ChatGPT and have noticed its slow response time, OpenAI just confirmed that it is due to a lack of processing power. The company is scrambling to install thousands of GPUs by next week, with hundreds of thousands more "coming soon." In the meantime, the shortage has prompted the company to slow-roll the release of GPT-4.5. OpenAI just released GPT-4.5, but average users won't have access yet. The model is only available on the company's $200/month Pro tier. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman explained that the plan was to release the model simultaneously on Plus and Pro subscriptions. However, a shortage of GPUs has forced the company to stagger its release.In recent weeks, ChatGPT users have noticed slow response times from the GPT-4o model. Altman noted that the platform has undergone significant growth and doesn't have the extra processing power to accommodate all of its users, making the launch of the "giant, expensive" GPT-4.5 problematic.Fortunately, OpenAI already has "tens of thousands" of GPUs on hand that technicians will install next week. After that, the company can complete the rollout for Plus users. Beyond that, the company has "hundreds of thousands" of GPUs on order, which Altman is sure will not entirely satisfy capacity."Hundreds of thousands [of GPUs are] coming soon, and I'm pretty sure y'all will use every one we can rack up," the CEO said. "This isn't how we want to operate, but it's hard to perfectly predict growth surges that lead to GPU shortages."We have all felt the effects of these shortages, and it's one of the reasons that OpenAI wants to branch into chip development. Last July, the company reportedly held talks with Broadcom about designing AI chips and reducing its reliance on Nvidia. The talks must have been very productive since insiders say OpenAI is prepared to send TSMC a custom chip design for validation within the next few months. If all goes well, mass production will begin in 2026. // Related StoriesRegarding the performance of OpenAI's latest AI, Altman noted that GPT-4.5 is not a reasoning model, so users should not expect it to blow benchmarks out of the water. That said, there is a certain kind of "magic" to the intelligence that Altman finds impressive."It is the first model that feels like talking to a thoughtful person to me," Altman touted. "I have had several moments where I've sat back in my chair and been astonished at getting actually good advice from an AI."At this stage, I would not take advice from an AI, let alone pay for it. That said, OpenAI is starting to get pricing to the sweet spot. Its Plus tier is $20 per month, which is not bad but lacks the unlimited access the $200 Pro version has. The free tier has unlimited access to GPT-4o mini, which is enough for most average users. If OpenAI could get Plus subscriptions to $15 or lower, it would attract more of the casual crowd.