OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has unveiled GPT-5, its most advanced AI chatbot to date. The long-awaited model is described as “smarter, faster, and more useful”, with capabilities that OpenAI says reach PhD-level expertise in areas such as coding, writing, and reasoning.
OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman praised the release as a major milestone in AI development.
“I think having something like GPT-5 would be pretty much unimaginable at any previous time in human history,” Altman said ahead of Thursday’s launch.
AI Arms Race: GPT-5 vs. Grok
GPT-5’s debut comes amid intense competition in the AI space. Elon Musk, founder of X (formerly Twitter), recently promoted the latest version of his own chatbot, Grok, claiming it is “better than PhD level in everything” and calling it the “world’s smartest AI.”
While Musk emphasizes Grok’s raw intelligence, Altman says GPT-5 reduces hallucinations—a known issue where AI fabricates information—and is less prone to deception. OpenAI is also marketing GPT-5 as a powerful assistant for software developers, positioning it alongside tools like Claude Code from rival AI firm Anthropic.
What Can GPT-5 Do?
OpenAI says GPT-5 can:
- Create entire software programs
- Show detailed reasoning, logic, and inference
- Respond more accurately and honestly
- Feel more “human” in conversations
Altman compared the evolution of the models:
“GPT-3 felt like talking to a high school student. GPT-4 was more like a college student. GPT-5 is the first that feels like you’re talking to an expert—like a PhD-level expert.”
Caution Amid the Hype
However, not everyone is convinced by the excitement surrounding GPT-5.
Prof. Carissa Véliz of the Institute for Ethics in AI expressed skepticism, suggesting the hype may be outpacing the actual progress.
“These systems, as impressive as they are, haven’t yet proven to be truly profitable,” she said. “They mimic human reasoning but don’t genuinely understand it. There’s a fear that if the hype slows down, the bubble could burst.”
Gaia Marcus, Director at the Ada Lovelace Institute, echoed concerns about governance.
“As these models grow more powerful, the gap between their capabilities and our ability to regulate them becomes more serious.”
Inside Look: Evolution or Revolution?
BBC AI Correspondent Marc Cieslak, who gained early access to GPT-5, described the experience as mostly familiar to previous versions.
“Aside from minor cosmetic changes, it’s still about typing in prompts and getting answers. It now uses a ‘reasoning model’ to think harder about problems—but this feels more like an evolution than a revolution.”
The Question of Authenticity
The rollout of GPT-5 raises new concerns around intellectual property and content authenticity.
Grant Farhall, Chief Product Officer at Getty Images, emphasized the importance of ethical training practices.
“As AI content becomes more convincing, we need to ask: Are we protecting the people and creativity behind what we see? Authenticity matters—but it doesn’t come for free.”
Farhall called for transparency in how AI models are trained and for creators to be fairly compensated if their work is used in the process.
What’s Next?
OpenAI will begin rolling out GPT-5 to users starting Thursday, with broader availability in the coming days. As more people begin to interact with the model, it remains to be seen whether it truly lives up to its bold promises.
