Released to the public August 7th, 2025, Open AI’s new model of Chat-GPT is certainly an upgrade from previous models. GPT-5 is equipped with new features that improve its ability to correctly answer questions in a wider variety of topics.
Most notably, GPT-5 has received considerable upgrades in its ability to write code and its reasoning capabilities, as stated by Microsoft Tech Community. Useful to developers and programmers alike, GPT-5 has improved GPT-4o’s coding sidebar so that it is easier for the user to edit, and so that it can be added to when another task is given. It can provide high-level coding solutions and develop web pages when prompted. Its reasoning and thinking skills have seen a change; if it cannot provide a complete answer in the 1-2 seconds it generally takes to ‘think,’ it will display a message reading, “Thinking longer for a better answer…” and will take more time to put together the most accurate and helpful answer it can.
Chat-GPT now provides more accurate information based specifically on the question asked without adding anything extra to its response. With that, this model no longer simply agrees with whatever the user suggests as it did before; it provides factually correct information based on the user’s inquiry and will not blindly agree with the user despite the credibility of the statement. Additionally, Chat-GPT has been trained to be transparent with the user. It will admit to tasks it cannot carry out, or information it believes to be either inaccurate, sourced unreliably, or not completely attuned to the question asked or task given. Both its new ability to challenge the user’s thoughts and transparency make its content more accurate and user-friendly.
Since Chat-GPT providing blatantly inaccurate information was an issue in the last model, it has been emphasized in this model that GPT-5 gives exponentially less wrong information, or “hallucinations.”
According to Open AI, to access GPT-5’s full potential, users will need to pay some sort of subscription fee, either $20/month for Chat-GPT Plus, which is ideal to gain access to all GPT-5’s features, or $200/month for Chat-GPT Pro, which is better suited for businesses and large scale operations, considering the immense monthly cost. The free version of Chat-GPT is not useless–it just places caps on certain models and features, like a limit to uploading images or asking for image creation. The use of GPT-5 is also currently limited, but it will automatically switch to a different model, whether it be GPT-4 or GPT-4 mini, so the user can continue using the app, even if some features are restricted.
GPT-5’s main developer, Sam Altman, has shared that GPT-5 has many advanced features, however it has not reached AGI (artificial general intelligence), which aims to replicate human cognitive abilities and thought processes across a vast range of areas. This model is very intelligent and adept at a wide variety of tasks from aiding developers, to answering questions about complex health topics accurately.
While GPT-5 is an excellent new model for Chat-GPT, its impact on the environment is more significant than its predecessors, GPT-4o and GPT-o3. It is estimated that GPT-5 consumes 8 times more energy than GPT-4, and the amount of energy it takes to train this model is also extremely high.
So, what is GPT-5’s best use? Writing, coding, health-related inquiries and tasks are what this new model really excels at compared to other models, but it is also exceptional in solving complex mathematical problems and multimodal reasoning, which is using images, like graphs or diagrams to answer a question or complete a task.
Overall, GPT-5 is an amazing new model of OpenAI’s Chat-GPT, with many improved features at the user’s fingertips. But it’s important not to forget the impact that using generative AI has on the environment. Since GPT-5 requires substantial amounts of energy to function smoothly and for developers to train it, it may be wise to use not just Chat-GPT, but all generative AI sparingingly to lessen our impact on the environment, even just a little.