Recently, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced on the X platform that the next-generation AI model GPT-6 will be renamed GPT-6-7, without revealing the specific reason. This sudden decision has sparked heated discussions in the tech world, and IT Home discovered that Dictionary.com had just named "67" as the word of the year for 2025 on October 28th, a highly coincidental timing.
According to Dictionary.com's annual word report, searches for the number "67" have surged sixfold since the summer of 2025, described as "undefinable and utterly absurd." Lexiconists, after analyzing social media and news data, pointed out that unlike other two-digit numbers, the popularity of "67" lacks a clear explanation, and this meaningless frenzy precisely reflects contemporary internet culture.
Analysts believe that Altman's renaming may be a humorous response to this numerical trend. OpenAI has never previously included extra numbers in its model names, and the format of GPT-6-7 is clearly unconventional. It's worth noting that Dictionary.com emphasizes that the annual word is like a "language time capsule," while the GPT series itself is a cultural symbol of technological evolution. This name change may become a typical example of the collision between technology and popular culture.
OpenAI has not yet further explained the intention behind the name change, but industry insiders speculate that it could be a playful jab at internet memes, or it could be foreshadowing future technology releases.
