OpenAI Launches GPT-5 With Major Upgrades for All Users

OpenAI has begun the global rollout of GPT-5, its latest and most advanced language model, to both free and paid ChatGPT users. The update represents a significant leap in speed, accuracy, and versatility, introducing new model variants, smarter integrations, and enhanced customization options. According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the jump from GPT-4 to GPT-5 is comparable to the leap from early iPhone screens to Apple’s Retina display — sharper, faster, and more capable.

Automatic Access With Staged Rollout

Using GPT-5 requires no manual installation or special sign-up. Users will automatically receive a welcome screen when the update reaches their account. The rollout is happening in stages, meaning not everyone will get access at the same time. Logging out and back in may help speed up availability.

New Model Variants for Every Tier

The GPT-5 release brings a suite of models to suit different needs and price points:

• GPT-5 – The main flagship model, available to all users, including those on the free tier.

• GPT-5-mini – A lightweight, faster model with lower resource usage, also available to free users.

• GPT-5-nano – An API-only variant designed for ultra-fast, low-cost responses, ideal for developers.

• GPT-5-pro & GPT-5-thinking – Premium versions for Pro subscribers, offering higher accuracy, advanced reasoning, and unlimited use.

The ChatGPT interface now automatically chooses the best model for each query based on complexity and user plan, removing the need for manual switching. Pro-tier users also retain access to legacy models.

Google Account Integration for Pro Users

Starting next week, Pro subscribers will be able to integrate Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts directly with ChatGPT. This allows the AI to reference relevant emails, events, and contacts automatically, streamlining personal and professional workflows. Other tiers will receive this feature in a later update.

Customization and Personality Modes

GPT-5 adds a splash of personality with four preset modes — Cynic, Robot, Listener, and Nerd — enabling users to choose a tone that matches their preference. Chat colours can also be customized, and these personality modes are expected to work with the upcoming Advanced Voice Mode.

Performance Boosts Across the Board

A major technical upgrade is the expanded 256,000-token context window, up from 200,000 in the previous o3 model, enabling the AI to maintain context over much longer conversations, codebases, and documents.

Benchmarks show GPT-5 outperforming earlier models in coding tasks. It scored 74.9% on SWE-Bench Verified, 55% on SWE-Lancer (using GPT-5-thinking), and 88% on Aider Polyglot, excelling at bug fixing, multi-language coding, and freelance-style tasks. In demonstrations, the system built a complete interactive language-learning app in under a minute, complete with user interface design.

Lower Hallucination Rates and Safer Responses

OpenAI reports that GPT-5-thinking reduces hallucination rates by 65% compared to o3 and 26% compared to GPT-4o. The model has been trained to “fail safely” on unsolvable tasks, avoiding misleading answers. Safety improvements include over 5,000 hours of red teaming and enhanced handling of dual-use prompts through controlled, safe completions.

Improved Medical Question Handling

In health-related benchmarks, GPT-5-thinking scored higher than GPT-4o, delivering more accurate medical insights vetted by licensed physicians. While it does not replace professional care, OpenAI says it is its most reliable model for medical queries to date.

API Pricing for Developers

The developer API now includes three GPT-5 options with competitive pricing:

• GPT-5 – $1.25 per million input tokens, $10 per million output tokens.

• GPT-5-mini – $0.25 per million input tokens, $2 per million output tokens.

• GPT-5-nano – $0.05 per million input tokens, $0.40 per million output tokens, making it cheaper than Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash.

Massive User Base

OpenAI says ChatGPT now serves 700 million weekly users, with 5 million paying business users and 4 million developers on the API. The GPT-5 launch is expected to drive even greater adoption across industries, from education to software development.