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OpenAI has introduced ChatGPT-5, its most advanced model to date, now accessible to everyone free of charge as the global competition to lead in AI intensifies. The updated version, which is currently used by millions weekly, is praised for its quicker, more intelligent responses and expanded capabilities.
CEO and co-founder Sam Altman described the new model as feeling like you’re conversing with a genuine expert, calling it “clearly a generally intelligent model.” While it doesn’t yet think exactly like a human, Altman sees it as a significant step forward in that direction.
The rollout coincides with some of the largest tech companies racing to take the lead in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. According to OpenAI, ChatGPT-5 is now available to all users at no cost and is used by nearly 700 million people each week.
Altman emphasized that there’s still work to do to realize artificial general intelligence (AGI)—AI that can think and reason like humans. “This is not a model that learns from every new piece of information during use—something that I believe should be part of AGI,” he noted. “But the capabilities we’re seeing are a huge leap ahead.”
Industry leaders see this as the start of a new era where intelligent machines could transform daily life and the global economy. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, recently wrote in an internal memo that as AI advances accelerate, superintelligence is approaching, signaling “the beginning of a new era for humanity.”
Altman mentioned there are still “orders of magnitude more improvements” necessary en route to AGI, stating, “We’re investing heavily in computing power to get there and plan to keep pushing forward.”
Since the debut of the original ChatGPT in late 2022, major companies including Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Elon Musk’s xAI have all invested billions into AI research.
Notably, earlier this year, Chinese startup DeepSeek released a powerful AI model capable of high performance while using more affordable chips, surprising the industry.
Altman claims ChatGPT-5 now leads in coding, writing, healthcare, and other fields, surpassing previous versions. “GPT-3 felt like talking to a high school student—sometimes correct, sometimes not,” he explained. “GPT-4 was more like a college student. But GPT-5 feels like engaging with a PhD-level expert on any subject.”
He envisions “vibe-coding”—building software through natural language conversation—becoming a hallmark feature of this new era. Early adopter Simon Willison, an AI researcher, commented that while GPT-5 isn’t a dramatic leap, it rarely makes mistakes and often impresses.
Elon Musk weighed in, claiming on X (formerly Twitter) that his own AI model, Grok 4 Heavy, outperforms ChatGPT-5 in intelligence.
Regarding safety, OpenAI’s lead researcher Alex Beutel said ChatGPT-5 has been trained to be trustworthy and prevent assisting with harmful activities. “We developed measures to assess deception and trained the model to be honest,” he stated. The model prioritizes generating “safe responses” that avoid sharing sensitive or dangerous information.
Additionally, OpenAI announced it has released two new open-source AI models, allowing users to download and modify them freely—aiming to foster transparency amid increasing calls for openness and aligning with its original non-profit mission.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
