OpenAI launches o3-mini, its latest ‘reasoning’ model | TechCrunch

OpenAI on Friday launched a new AI “reasoning” model, o3-mini, the newest in the company’s o family of reasoning models.

OpenAI first previewed the model in December alongside a more capable system called o3, but the launch comes at a pivotal moment for the company, whose ambitions — and challenges — are seemingly growing by the day.

OpenAI is battling the perception that it’s ceding ground in the AI race to Chinese companies like DeepSeek, which OpenAI alleges might…