OpenAI has officially launched GPT-5, calling it its most powerful AI model yet—and the best part? It’s available to everyone, including free ChatGPT users, starting Thursday.
The company says GPT-5 is smarter, faster, and more helpful than ever before, with big improvements in writing, coding, and even healthcare. Whether you’re building software, crafting an email, or researching medical topics, GPT-5 promises to take AI assistance to the next level.
“I tried going back to GPT-4, and it was quite miserable,” said OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in a press briefing.
Since debuting ChatGPT in 2022, OpenAI has exploded in popularity—and the momentum isn’t slowing down. The company is expecting 700 million weekly active users on ChatGPT this week, and it’s reportedly discussing a potential stock sale that could value it at around $500 billion, according to CNBC.
What’s New in GPT-5?
OpenAI says GPT-5 is not just faster—it’s more accurate, thanks to a reduced hallucination rate, meaning the AI is less likely to make things up. The model underwent a whopping 5,000 hours of safety testing before launch.
Instead of refusing to answer tricky or potentially risky questions, GPT-5 now offers “safe completions”—basically high-level, carefully worded answers that don’t cross safety lines.
“GPT-5 has been trained to recognize when a task can’t be finished, avoid speculation, and explain its limits more clearly,” said Michelle Pokrass, post-training lead at OpenAI.
Real-Time Demos: AI That Codes on Vibes
During the launch event, OpenAI showed off GPT-5’s ability to do “vibe coding”—generating fully functional software from a simple written prompt.
In one example, GPT-5 was asked to build a French learning app for English speakers, complete with flashcards, quizzes, and daily progress tracking. Within seconds, GPT-5 created two unique versions of the app, each with its own style. While the apps had a few rough edges, OpenAI said users can easily tweak the design and features.
Who Gets Access?
Starting Thursday:
- Free users can now access GPT-5, including the reasoning model that “thinks” before replying.
- If free users hit their usage cap, they’ll be switched to GPT-5 mini.
- Plus users get higher usage limits.
- Pro users get unlimited GPT-5 access and can use GPT-5 Pro.
- ChatGPT Edu and Enterprise users will get GPT-5 next week.
GPT-5 Everywhere: Microsoft & More
Microsoft, a major OpenAI partner, announced that GPT-5 will start rolling out in its products, including:
- Microsoft 365 Copilot
- Copilot for consumers
- Azure AI Foundry for developers
“It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come since Sam Altman first showed us GPT-4 at Microsoft HQ,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on X (formerly Twitter).
Developers, You’re Invited Too
OpenAI is releasing three GPT-5 versions via its API:
- GPT-5
- GPT-5 Mini
- GPT-5 Nano
These are built to meet different cost and speed needs for developers and businesses.
Earlier this week, OpenAI also released two open-weight language models—the first since GPT-2 in 2019—giving developers more flexible, lower-cost tools.
Industry Reactions: A “Complete Breakthrough”
Enterprise cloud company Box has been testing GPT-5 with massive data sets. CEO Aaron Levie said previous models struggled with complex math and logic in long documents—but GPT-5 is different.
“The model is able to retain way more information and use a much higher level of reasoning and logic,” Levie told CNBC. “It’s a complete breakthrough.”
A Human Touch
OpenAI says GPT-5 feels more natural and human to talk to. In fact, Sam Altman compared it to having a team of Ph.D.-level experts at your fingertips.
“People are limited by ideas,” Altman said, “but not really the ability to execute, in many new ways.”
