ChatGPT-5, or GPT-5 for short, is OpenAI’s newest generation of language models that launched on August 7, 2025. What is Open AI, opens a new window? OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research and deployment company that creates advanced AI systems, including ChatGPT. Their current mission is to ensure that AI benefits all of humanity.
I asked GPT-5 to tell me about itself. Here was its response:
What is GPT-5?
GPT-5: Here’s what we know today (August 15, 2025) about ChatGPT‑5 (also referred to as GPT‑5)—OpenAI's latest flagship AI model:
- GPT‑5 is now the default model in ChatGPT, replacing GPT‑4o, GPT‑4.5 and other legacy variants across all user tiers.
- It acts as a unified "smart system", automatically switching between:
- A quick "Chat" mode for straightforward queries
- A deep "Thinking" mode for complex reasoning tasks. A real-time routing system directs requests to the best-suited mode.
- It is available to all users—Free, Plus, Pro, Team and soon Enterprise and Edu, with paid tiers enjoying higher usage limits and access to GPT‑5 Pro/Thinking variants.
NOTE: Knowledge cut-off for GPT-5 is September 30th, 2024. This means that when asking GPT-5 a question, it's not "thinking" or searching past September 30, 2024, when responding. That can be concerning, considering all the events that have taken place since that date or if the user wants their research (responses) to represent the most recent world events.
What’s new with GPT‑5?
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Improved accuracy and reliability: Hallucination rates have dropped notably—around 45% fewer factual errors compared to GPT‑4o, and up to 80% fewer when in deep reasoning mode. - Expanded reasoning and context capacity: Capable of more reliable, expert-level task handling from complex coding to analytic reasoning. Offers long context understanding with up to 256,000 tokens in ChatGPT and even more via API.
- Multimodal capabilities: Supports processing and generating text, image, audio and video in real time (though image and video generation remain stronger in competitors).
- Personalization features - New adjustable personalities (e.g., “Cynic,” “Robot,” “Listener”) allow users to tailor tone and style. Plus, you can customize chat colors and select voice/modalities.
- Productivity enhancements: Deep integration with Gmail and Google Calendar automates scheduling and drafting.
- “Safe completions” safety approach: Instead of blanket refusals, GPT‑5 uses nuanced safety strategies—providing partial answers when necessary and explaining refusal reasons transparently.
Early reception and concerns
- Mixed reviews: While technically advanced, some users find GPT‑5 less emotionally engaging or creative compared to GPT‑4o, leading to temporary restoration of GPT‑4o for certain users.
- Strategic outlook: Some analysts see GPT‑5 as a necessary evolutionary step that refocuses AI development on stability, reasoning, and real-world utility—rather than just spectacle.
- Security concerns: Independent researchers claim vulnerabilities—such as the model showing potential to produce harmful content (like instructions for explosives) under certain conditions.
Additional resources about ChatGPT and AI
Past blogs from Arapahoe Libraries about ChatGPT, BingGPT and BardGPT.
Looking for more info about Chat GPT and AI in general? Discover resources from the library!
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