In a significant development, OpenAI is reportedly gearing up to launch its next-generation AI model, codenamed Orion, by December this year. According to a report by The Verge, the company plans to release the model gradually to trusted partners before a broader rollout through ChatGPT.

While an OpenAI spokesperson denied the report, Microsoft engineers are said to expect access to Orion as early as November. Notably, the company's previous model was codenamed "strawberry" internally before its release.

The stakes are high for OpenAI's next frontier model release, particularly after securing a massive $6.6 billion funding round at a $157 billion valuation. Investors are eagerly anticipating the startup to continue pushing the boundaries of AI capabilities, and Orion's launch is expected to be a significant milestone in this journey.

With the AI landscape rapidly evolving, OpenAI's next move is being closely watched by the tech community. Will Orion live up to the hype and further cement OpenAI's position as a leader in the AI space? Only time will tell.