OpenAI has officially unveiled GPT-5, its most advanced artificial intelligence model to date, calling it faster, smarter, and far more useful across a range of fields, from creative writing to coding and even health care.
For the first time, the company is making a reasoning-capable model available to all ChatGPT users, including those on the free tier. “I tried going back to GPT-4, and it was quite miserable,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman admitted during a media briefing.
Since ChatGPT’s launch in 2022, OpenAI has become a household name, now closing in on 700 million weekly active users. The company is also reportedly in talks with investors about a possible stock sale valuing it at around $500 billion.
OpenAI GPT-5, Sharper, Safer, and More Transparent
One of GPT-5’s most significant upgrades is its lower “hallucination” rate meaning it fabricates fewer answers. The model underwent more than 5,000 hours of safety testing, with new safeguards such as safe completions. Instead of refusing a potentially risky request outright, GPT-5 can give a high-level response within strict safety boundaries.
“GPT-5 knows when it can’t finish a task, avoids speculation, and explains its limits clearly which means far fewer unsupported claims,” explained Michelle Pokrass, OpenAI’s post-training lead.
‘Vibe Coding’ in Seconds
During a live demo, OpenAI showcased vibe coding creating functional software from a simple written prompt. In one test, GPT-5 was asked to design a French-learning web app with flash cards, quizzes, and progress tracking. Within seconds, it produced two different working versions, ready for user tweaks.
Rollout and Access Levels
Starting Thursday, GPT-5 is being rolled out to Free, Plus, Pro, and Team ChatGPT users:
- Free tier: access to GPT-5 until usage limits are hit, then fallback to GPT-5 mini.
- Plus: higher usage caps.
- Pro: unlimited access plus GPT-5 Pro.
- Enterprise/Edu: access within a week.
Microsoft is integrating GPT-5 into Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot for consumers, and Azure AI Foundry starting today.
Breakthrough in Complex Reasoning
Box, a cloud content management company, has been testing GPT-5 on challenging datasets. CEO Aaron Levie called it “a complete breakthrough,” citing its ability to retain more context from long documents and apply advanced logic to make better decisions.
For Developers, Too
OpenAI is releasing three versions via API GPT-5, GPT-5-mini, and GPT-5 nano tailored for different speed and cost requirements. Earlier this week, the company also introduced its first open-weight models since 2019 to give researchers and businesses low-cost, customizable options.
Altman summed it up by comparing GPT-5 to “having a team of Ph.D.-level experts on call at any time,” adding, “People are limited by ideas, but not by the ability to execute in entirely new ways.”