OpenAI released GPT-5, its most advanced artificial intelligence model yet, after more than two years of development marked by delays and setbacks. While it isn’t a leap to human-level intelligence, GPT-5 marks another big step in a crowded AI race.
Sam Altman, OpenAI’s chief executive, described the model as performing like a “Ph.D.-level expert” in any subject. He said it is capable of building software from simple prompts.
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The launch follows rapid growth for the company, with its ChatGPT now reaching about 700 million weekly active users. Financial analysts speculate that OpenAI could execute a secondary stock sale that could value the company at $500 billion.
What are the model’s new capabilities?
OpenAI says GPT-5 combines speed with deeper reasoning, switching automatically between “chat” and “thinking” modes depending on the complexity of a task. The model is designed to excel at coding, math, information synthesis and complex decision-making, with fewer factual errors than earlier versions.
New personalization tools let users set the chatbot’s tone and style, while integration with Gmail and Google Calendar will soon allow scheduling and email management. Businesses can train GPT-5 on proprietary data for custom deployments.
How have users responded?
Some early users have praised GPT-5’s accuracy and coding ability, with one consultant calling it “impressive” for building a contact database with minimal errors. Others say the model feels “bland” or “generic” compared to GPT-4, citing a colder conversational tone and less sensitivity to context.
Critics on social media pointed to embarrassing failures. These failures include struggling with simple math or drawing tasks. Others disliked the stricter safety rules and older models being hidden at launch.
OpenAI has acknowledged these concerns. Altman said the company restored at least one older model to the main menu. It will allow users of its “Plus” subscription plan to continue accessing GPT-4 for now. The company will monitor usage to decide how long to keep legacy models available.
Altman also pledged to make GPT-5 “warmer” and announced that message limits for Plus users will be doubled as the rollout continues.
OpenAI has characterized model removals as temporary and reversible. Help documentation notes for some older models can still be accessed through user settings.
How does GPT-5 compare to competitors?
OpenAI rivals are matching or exceeding GPT-5 in some areas.
Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.1 is favored for sustained coding workflows. Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro excels at video and visual analysis. Meta’s open-source Llama 3 offers greater customization and privacy controls for research environments.
What’s next for OpenAI?
The GPT-5 rollout comes as OpenAI works to retain its lead in a competitive market. The company recently raised $8.3 billion in funding and is restructuring away from its capped-profit model. However, executives say an IPO will wait for favorable conditions.
Altman acknowledged the launch’s “bumpiness.” But he said customization and reliability will remain priorities as the model reaches education, enterprise and public users in the coming weeks.
