Unpacking the ChatGPT-5 Launch: A Mix of Innovation and Controversy

The launch of OpenAI's new ChatGPT-5 model has been met with both excitement and criticism. CEO Sam Altman described it as an expert-level AI but users have been less convinced. The initial removal of older models like GPT-4o for paying subscribers caused significant backlash, leading to a public apology and a promise to restore access temporarily. Many users also complained about the model’s "cold" and "blunt" conversational style.

Despite the controversy, the new model introduces notable improvements. It features unified, adaptive reasoning, allowing it to handle both simple and complex tasks without model switching. It also boasts a reduced hallucination rate, with internal scores suggesting it makes up to 80% fewer factual errors in complex situations. A customizable personality and enhanced voice features are also included. For businesses and developers, it offers enhanced workflow integration and is claimed to be "the best coding model on the market today."

The launch also brought attention to the model's significant energy consumption. Experts estimate that a single medium-length response from GPT-5 could consume an average of over 18 watt-hours of electricity, a significant increase over previous models. This has prompted calls for greater transparency from OpenAI regarding the environmental impact of its AI.

The company's own research points to an effort to prevent users from forming strong emotional attachments to the AI, a possible reason for the model's more businesslike tone. This, along with its lack of true AGI capabilities—the ability to learn autonomously—indicates that while GPT-5 is a powerful step forward, the AI arms race is far from over.