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| academy.openai.com |
After months of anticipation and over a year of mounting hype, OpenAI has officially released GPT-5 and it’s available for free to all users.
The latest version of the AI powerhouse behind ChatGPT was launched on Thursday and is being described as a milestone in OpenAI’s march toward artificial general intelligence (AGI). OpenAI CEO Sam Altman heralded the new model as a “major upgrade” and “a significant step along the path of AGI,” during a press briefing with journalists the day before the release.
Altman’s praise didn’t stop there. Reflecting on the jump in capability from GPT-4 to GPT-5, he confessed, “Going back to GPT-4 now feels miserable.”
A Smarter, Faster, More Flexible Model
GPT-5 is being released in several versions standard, mini, and nano offering flexibility depending on device capability and task complexity. While the base version will be available at no cost to all users, paid subscribers will receive priority access with higher usage limits.
OpenAI emphasized that GPT-5 is its fastest model to date. "One of the things I had been pushing the team on was like, 'Hey, we need to make it way, way faster,'" Altman said. “And I now have this experience of like, ‘Are you sure you thought enough?’” a comment hinting at the staggering processing speed and responsiveness of the new model.
The company has also streamlined the user experience: GPT-5 now intelligently selects the best internal model for the task without requiring users to toggle between versions manually.
Multimodal Intelligence and Vibe Coding
GPT-5 introduces significant enhancements in multimodal functionality meaning it can now understand and process different types of input beyond just text, such as images and possibly video and audio, though specifics were not disclosed.
Among the standout capabilities is GPT-5’s improved performance in what Silicon Valley insiders are calling "vibe coding" a trend involving context-aware, stylistic programming based on emotional or aesthetic “vibes” rather than strict syntax. It’s a niche but growing use case, and OpenAI seems eager to stay at the forefront of it.
The Long Road to Launch and the AI That Made Its Creator Feel "Useless"
The journey to GPT-5’s release wasn’t a smooth one. Originally expected in mid-2024, the launch was delayed multiple times, finally arriving in August 2025. In the meantime, OpenAI released GPT-4.5 in February, a stopgap model that Altman described as “the first model that feels like talking to a thoughtful person.”
The wait appears to have been worth it. In recent months, Altman began dropping more public hints about GPT-5’s development. Just days before the official release, he posted a screenshot of the model on X (formerly Twitter), showing it recommending “the most thought-provoking TV show about AI.”
But his admiration for GPT-5 runs deeper than a few social media teasers. In a July podcast with Theo Von, Altman recounted asking GPT-5 a question he didn’t fully understand himself only to receive a response so perfect it left him feeling "useless relative to the AI."
He even went as far as comparing the development of GPT-5 to the Manhattan Project the top-secret World War II initiative that developed the atomic bomb.
“There are moments in the history of science where a group of scientists look at what they’ve built and say, ‘What have we done?’” Altman reflected, acknowledging the unease that can come with pushing the boundaries of innovation.
ChatGPT Continues to Explode in Popularity
OpenAI’s unveiling of GPT-5 comes at a time when ChatGPT is surging in global adoption. In April, Altman revealed that the platform had reached 500 million weekly active users. That number has since climbed even higher.
On Thursday, the company announced that ChatGPT is expected to reach 700 million weekly active users a staggering milestone that cements its position as the most popular AI chatbot in the world.
As OpenAI moves deeper into the era of AGI, the arrival of GPT-5 signals not just an upgrade in capability, but also a broader shift in how everyday people, companies, and creators interact with artificial intelligence.
