OpenAI's Recent Open-Source Model Launch

Aug 7, 2025

5

min read

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n August 5, 2025, OpenAI did something exciting: they released two new "open-weight" AI models called gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b.

These are their first open models in over five years, since GPT-2, and they’re a big deal because they let regular people, developers, and businesses play with powerful AI technology similar to what powers ChatGPT.

Think of them as a free, flexible version of AI that you can use for all sorts of cool projects—without needing to be a tech genius!

In this blog, we’ll break down what these models are, why they matter, and how you can use them yourself, whether you’re curious about AI, want to build something new, or just love experimenting.

Imagine an AI model like a super-smart recipe book that can generate text, answer questions, or even help with tasks like writing or coding.

OpenAI’s new models, gpt-oss-120b (the bigger one) and gpt-oss-20b (the smaller one), are like recipe books you can download and tweak to make your own dishes.

Unlike OpenAI’s paid services (like ChatGPT), these models are “open-weight,” meaning you can access their core ingredients (the code and parameters) and use them freely under a permissive license called Apache 2.0. This makes them accessible for anyone to experiment with, from hobbyists to businesses.

Here’s the breakdown:

gpt-oss-120b: A massive model with 117 billion parameters (think of parameters as the brainpower of the AI). It’s super powerful and can run on a single high-end graphics card (80GB GPU).
gpt-oss-20b: A smaller but still impressive model with 21 billion parameters, which can run on a more modest 16GB GPU, like what you might find in a gaming laptop.

Both models are designed to work efficiently, so you don’t need a supercomputer to use them. Plus, they’re great at tasks like reasoning, following instructions, and even using tools, making them versatile for all kinds of projects.

Why Should You Care?

These models are a game-changer because they make advanced AI accessible to everyone, not just big companies. Here’s why they’re exciting:

Privacy and Control: You can run them on your own computer or server, so your data stays private—no need to send it to the cloud.
Customization: You can tweak them to do specific things, like creating a chatbot for your favorite hobby or helping with a school project.
Free to Use: Unlike paid AI services, these models are free to download and use under the Apache 2.0 license, which has very few restrictions.
Innovation: They open the door for anyone to experiment, build new apps, or even push AI research forward.

Whether you’re a student, a small business owner, or just curious about AI, these models give you a chance to explore cutting-edge technology without breaking the bank.

What Can You Do with These Models?

Here are some practical, real-world ways you can use these models:

Run Your Own Chatbot Offline
Want a personal AI assistant that doesn’t need the internet? You can set up these models on your computer or a server to create a chatbot that answers questions, writes stories, or helps with homework—all while keeping your data private.

Build Cool Apps or Tools
Imagine creating an app that writes recipes based on ingredients you have at home, or a tool that helps you brainstorm ideas for a blog. Developers can use these models to build custom AI apps for things like writing, data analysis, or even automating repetitive tasks.

Customize for Your Needs
If you’re in a specific field, like education or healthcare, you can “fine-tune” these models with your own data to make them experts in your area. For example, a teacher could train the model to generate lesson plans, or a coder could make it a pro at writing software.

Experiment and Learn
If you’re curious about AI, these models are a great way to dive in. You can play around with them to understand how AI works, test new ideas, or even contribute to research that could shape the future of technology.

Create Scalable Services
Businesses or developers can host these models on platforms like Hugging Face to build services, like a customer support chatbot or a tool for summarizing long documents.

How Can You Use These Models?

Good news: you don’t need to be a tech expert to get started! Here’s a simple guide to exploring these models, whether you’re a beginner or have some tech know-how.

Step 1: Where to Find the Models

The models are available for free on Hugging Face, a popular platform for AI tools. You can download them here:

gpt-oss-120b: [Insert Hugging Face link if available, or say “Search for gpt-oss-120b on Hugging Face”]
gpt-oss-20b: [Insert Hugging Face link if available, or say “Search for gpt-oss-20b on Hugging Face”]

Hugging Face also has tutorials and tools to help you get started, even if you’re new to AI.

Step 2: Running the Models

You have a few options depending on your setup:

On Your Own Computer:
If you have a powerful computer with a good graphics card (like an NVIDIA GPU with 16GB for the smaller model or 80GB for the larger one), you can run these models locally. Tools like Ollama, llama.cpp, or transformers (from Hugging Face) make it easier to set up. These are free software libraries that guide you through the process. For example:

Ollama is beginner-friendly and lets you run AI models with a simple interface.
Search online for “How to run Ollama” or “How to use Hugging Face transformers” for step-by-step guides.
On a Cloud Platform:
If you don’t have a powerful computer, you can use cloud services like Northflank or Hugging Face Spaces to host the models. These platforms let you rent computing power and set up your AI with a few clicks. Some may have free tiers or small fees.
Pre-Built Tools:
If coding feels overwhelming, look for platforms that let you use these models through a simple interface. Hugging Face often has ready-to-use demos, or you can find community-built tools on sites like GitHub.

Step 3: Experiment and Build

Once you have the model running, you can:

Chat with it: Ask questions or give it tasks like writing a story or solving a math problem.
Build an app: Use programming tools (like Python) to create your own AI-powered project. There are tons of free tutorials online to help.
Fine-tune it: If you’re advanced, you can train the model on your own data to make it better at specific tasks.

Step 4: Join the Community

The AI community is full of people sharing ideas and tools. Check out:

Hugging Face forums for tips and tutorials.
Reddit (subreddits like r/MachineLearning or r/LocalLLM) for advice from other users.
YouTube for video guides on setting up and using AI models.

Tips for Beginners

Start Small: Try the smaller gpt-oss-20b model first, as it’s easier to run on most computers.
Use Free Tools: Stick to free platforms like Hugging Face or Ollama to keep costs down.
Learn as You Go: You don’t need to understand everything about AI to start. Experimenting is the best way to learn!
Ask for Help: If you get stuck, online communities are super helpful for troubleshooting.

Why This Matters for You

OpenAI’s release of these models is like handing you the keys to a powerful AI engine. Whether you want to create a personal assistant, build a business tool, or just play around with cutting-edge tech, these models make it possible. They’re free, flexible, and designed to work on everyday hardware, so anyone can jump in.

By making these models open, OpenAI is inviting everyone—yes, even you!—to be part of the AI revolution. So, why not give it a try? Download a model, follow a tutorial, and see what you can create.

Get Started Today

Ready to dive in? Here’s your action plan:

Visit Hugging Face (huggingface.co) and search for gpt-oss-120b or gpt-oss-20b.
Check out tools like Ollama or Hugging Face transformers for easy setup.
Explore tutorials on YouTube or Hugging Face’s website to learn how to run the models.
Join an AI community to share ideas and get help.

Have fun exploring the world of AI, and let us know in the comments what cool projects you’re building with these models!

See a video here