Updated 2025 Information - The Current State of AI
AI in September 2025
Here's where we are right now. The latest models, current pricing, recent breakthroughs, and what's coming next. This chapter will be updated regularly to keep you current.
š Latest Model Champions (September 2025)
Claude 3.5 Sonnet
AnthropicBest for professionals
GPT-4o
OpenAIMost versatile
Gemini 1.5 Pro
GoogleBest for Google users
Llama 3.1 405B
MetaBest open model
š Head-to-Head Benchmarks
Comprehensive Comparison (September 2025)
| Category | GPT-4o | Claude3.5 | Gemini1.5 | Llama3.1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reasoning | 95 | 97 | 92 | 93 |
| Coding | 96 | 98 | 91 | 94 |
| Math | 94 | 95 | 93 | 92 |
| Writing | 95 | 97 | 90 | 89 |
| Speed | 85 | 90 | 88 | 70 |
| Cost/month | $20 | $20 | $20 | Free* |
*Requires ~$5000 hardware or cloud rental
š° Current Pricing (September 2025)
Consumer Subscriptions
| Service | Free Tier | Basic | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | GPT-3.5 limited | ā | $20 |
| Claude | 30 msgs/day | ā | $20 |
| Gemini | Basic model | ā | $19.99 |
| Perplexity | 5 searches/day | $10 | $20 |
| Poe | Limited | $13 | $20 |
API Pricing Updates
Cost per 1M tokens (September 2025): āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā Model Input Output āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā GPT-4o $2.50 $10.00 GPT-4o-mini $0.15 $0.60 Claude 3.5 $3.00 $15.00 Claude Instant $0.25 $1.25 Gemini Pro $0.50 $1.50 Llama 3 (API) $0.20 $0.20
ā” Recent Breakthroughs (2025)
One-Minute Fine-Tuning
What: Fine-tune models in 60 seconds
How: New LoRA techniques
Impact: Anyone can customize AI
Available: Llama models now
1 Million Token Context
Who: Google Gemini
What: Process entire books
Impact: Legal/research transformed
Limitation: Still expensive
Real-Time Voice Mode
Who: OpenAI, Anthropic
What: Natural conversation
Latency: <500ms
Impact: Phone calls obsolete?
Autonomous Agents
Examples: Devin (coding), AutoGPT 2.0
Capability: Multi-step tasks
Success rate: 60-80%
Cost: Still high
š„ļø Updated Hardware Requirements
Consumer GPUs (September 2025)
GPU MODEL VRAM PRICE CAN RUN āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā RTX 4060 8GB $299 7B models RTX 4060 Ti 16GB $499 13B models RTX 4070 Ti 12GB $699 13B fast RTX 4080 16GB $999 30B models RTX 4090 24GB $1599 70B quant RTX 5090* 32GB $2499 70B full *Launching Q4 2025
Mac Hardware Update
Mac Options for AI (September 2025): āāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāāā MacBook Air M3 (8GB): Simple tasks only MacBook Air M3 (16GB): 7B models OK MacBook Pro M3 Pro (36GB): 13B smooth MacBook Pro M3 Max (48GB): 30B possible Mac Studio M3 Ultra (192GB): Any model Mac Pro M3 Extreme (384GB): Multiple 70B
š¼ Latest Job Market Data
AI Job Salaries (September 2025)
| Role | Entry | Mid | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prompt Engineer | $65K | $95K | $130K |
| AI/ML Engineer | $120K | $170K | $250K |
| AI Researcher | $140K | $200K | $350K |
| AI Product Manager | $110K | $160K | $240K |
| MLOps Engineer | $115K | $165K | $230K |
š® What's Coming Next
Q4 2025 Confirmed
- ā¢GPT-4.5 (rumored)
- ā¢Claude 4 (confirmed)
- ā¢Gemini 2.0
- ā¢Llama 4 (Q4/Q1)
- ā¢Apple Intelligence+
2026 Preview
- ā¢Video generation mainstream
- ā¢Real-time translation earbuds
- ā¢AI employees (limited)
- ā¢Quantum AI experiments
- ā¢Brain-computer interfaces?
Predictions vs Reality Check
ā Correct
- ā¢ Context windows >1M tokens
- ā¢ Open models match closed
- ā¢ AI regulation begins
- ā¢ Voice mode feels natural
ā Wrong
- ā¢ AGI arrival
- ā¢ Mass unemployment
- ā¢ AI consciousness
- ā¢ Full self-driving
š Partial
- ā¢ AI agents useful
- ā¢ Cost drops 70%
- ā¢ 60% adoption
- ā¢ AI co-writes books
šÆ Action Items for September 2025
If You're Just Starting
- Try Claude 3.5 first (best for learning)
- Install Ollama + Llama 3.1 8B (best local)
- Join one community (r/LocalLLaMA)
- Build something small (this week)
- Document your journey (blog/social)
If You're Intermediate
- Fine-tune a model (easier than ever)
- Build RAG application (hot skill)
- Try agent framework (AutoGPT/CrewAI)
- Contribute to open source
- Start teaching others
If You're Advanced
- Explore MoE architectures
- Optimize inference speed
- Work on safety/alignment
- Build production systems
- Publish your findings
š The State of AI: September 2025 Summary
Where We Are
- ā¢ AI is useful, not magical
- ā¢ Open source caught up
- ā¢ Local AI is viable
- ā¢ Costs dropping fast
- ā¢ Adoption accelerating
What Works
- ā¢ Writing assistance
- ā¢ Coding help
- ā¢ Image generation
- ā¢ Data analysis
- ā¢ Customer service
What Doesn't
- ā¢ Full autonomy
- ā¢ Perfect accuracy
- ā¢ Complex reasoning
- ā¢ Creative originality
- ā¢ Emotional intelligence
The Bottom Line
AI in September 2025 is a powerful tool that augments human capability. It's not replacing us - it's amplifying us. The people who learn to use it are pulling ahead. The gap is widening. Which side will you be on?
Key Takeaways
- āClaude 3.5 Sonnet leads in coding and analysis - best professional choice
- āGPT-4o remains most versatile - included in ChatGPT Plus
- āGemini has 1M token context - game-changer for long documents
- āOpen source Llama 3.1 matches closed models - privacy and free
- āAPI costs dropped 50-70% this year - making custom AI affordable
- āMajor breakthroughs in speed and capability - one-minute fine-tuning is real
- āAI salaries are extremely high - ML Engineers making $120-250K
You Did It!
21 chapters complete. You now understand AI from fundamentals to cutting-edge developments. You have the knowledge, the tools, and the community to transform your work and life with AI.
"The best time to start using AI was yesterday. The second best time is now. You have everything you need. Go build something amazing."