Just recently, OpenAI quietly rolled out two new AI models: o3 and o4-mini, each focusing on a different strength — enhanced logical reasoning and lightweight efficiency, respectively. They’ve quickly gained attention from developers, creators, and AI power users across the board.
In this post, we’ll break down what makes these models stand out — and more importantly, we’ll give you a hands-on prompt collection to help you ride this new wave, whether you're creating content or building smart tools.
GPT-4o: The All-Purpose Reasoning Powerhouse
GPT-4o is OpenAI’s most powerful general-purpose model to date. It’s designed not just to respond, but to reason through complex tasks with exceptional clarity.
What makes it a game changer?
It’s natively multimodal — meaning it understands text, images, audio, and even video frames.
It’s vastly improved in multi-turn conversation, memory, and logical step-by-step reasoning.
Here’s what you can do with GPT-4o:
Upload a screenshot and say: “What’s the main issue in this UI?”
Record a voice message: “Summarize this in 3 key points.”
Ask: “Can you solve this logic puzzle step by step, with full explanation?”
It’s not just answering — it’s thinking with you.
o4-mini: Lightweight, Logic-Smart, and Local-Friendly
Don’t be fooled by the “mini” name — o4-mini packs a serious reasoning punch. It’s designed for on-device AI, edge computing, and enterprise integration.
In other words: this is the model you want if you’re building smart apps or tools that need to think independently, even offline.
Real-world examples:
Powering a smart chatbot for a retail app
Running a local semantic search tool
Automating internal workflows with intelligent decision-making
Tutorial: How to Trigger Real Reasoning Power
It’s not what you ask — it’s how you ask it.
To get the most out of o3 and o4-mini, you'll need to shift your prompt strategy. Here are some proven techniques to unlock their full potential:
1. Encourage Step-by-Step Deconstruction
"Please analyze the following question step by step. List your logical reasoning for each step instead of jumping straight to the answer."
This moves the model from "answer mode" to "thinking mode" — perfect for avoiding skipped logic or shallow responses.
2. Simulate “Exam Question” Thinking
"Treat my next question as if it were a graduate-level exam problem. First, break it down. Then solve it. Then summarize your conclusion."
This tone encourages the model to be more careful, structured, and formal in its reasoning.
3. Trigger Critical Thinking via Dual Arguments
"Argue both for and against the following statement, using logical reasoning. Then summarize your own perspective."
This dual-perspective prompt activates deeper analysis and is perfect for debate prep, opinion writing, or creative brainstorming.
4. Roleplay High-Stakes Decision-Making
"Imagine you're a senior product manager at a major tech company. You have to choose between Option A and Option B. Reason through your decision based on user experience, logic, and business goals."
Combining roleplay with logic chains is ideal for product strategy, decision simulations, and business use cases.
Command Examples: How to Use These Models Right Now
Here’s a curated list of practical and creative prompts to test the new models’ reasoning capabilities — no engineering degree needed.
Logical Reasoning Prompts
“Let’s reason through this: If A > B, and B < C, who is the smallest?”
“I have only 2 free hours today — help me create the most efficient combo of workout + grocery shopping + studying.”
“My friend says ‘saving money is earning money’ — does that hold up logically or economically?”
Decision-Making Prompts
“I’ve got two job offers — one pays more but has longer hours, the other is more flexible but less growth. Can you help me weigh them from a time-value and mental health perspective?”
“I want to major in design, but my parents want me to choose finance. Can you run a SWOT analysis to help me decide?”
Multimodal Prompts (Text + Image/Audio)
“Here’s my poster design — can you give feedback on the layout and color scheme?”
“This is a short clip from my livestream. Can you extract 3 viral-worthy soundbites?”
Creative Prompts
“Write a story outline about humans and AI coexisting, featuring two female protagonists — one of them is an AI.”
“I want to start a ‘pet-turned-human’ content series. Help me create three cat characters and their personalities.”
Where and How to Use These Models
ChatGPT Web App: Plus users can now access GPT-4o by default via the GPT-4 toggle.
OpenAI API: Both GPT-4o and o4-mini are now available for developers and businesses via API.
Third-party apps: Tools like Notion AI, Microsoft Copilot, and other AI integrations are already adopting them.
Have you tried playing with o3 or o4-mini yet?
Which kind of prompts work best for your goals?
