If you’re wondering what all the hoopla is about, and what makes GPT-5 better, or different, than the company’s previous GPT models (or from rival AI models like Claude, Gemini, or Llama), here’s a quick rundown of some of the most important new features and functions available in GPT-5:
Recent versions of OpenAI products have forced users to choose the type of model they wanted to use for different tasks – OpenAI’s o family of “reasoning” model for complicated research, or the standard GPT for speedy results. GPT-5 uses a “real time router” that automates the process, picking the right tool for the right job so you don’t have to.
ChatGPT will now let users choose from four different pre-set “personalities” when they interact with it: “cynic,” “robot,” “listener,” and “nerd.” These personalities are intended to make using the chatbot feel more natural and context-appropriate. If you want a bit more sarcasm, choose cynic, whereas if you’re using it for work, the “efficient and blunt” robot persona might be better.
According to OpenAI, GPT-5 is a much better writer than its predecessors, producing more “compelling, resonant writing with literary depth and rhythm.” The company provided side-by-side comparisons of GPT-5’s penmanship versus GPT-4o for things like wedding toasts and poems.
While previous versions of GPT had software coding capabilities, OpenAI says GPT-5 brings improved ease and sophistication to its “vibe coding” functionality, allowing users to “create beautiful and responsive websites, apps, and games” in a single prompt.
LLMs have become a popular way for people to get medical information and health advice. OpenAI says GPT-5 scores higher than any of its previous models on the HealthBench test, and that it acts more like “an active thought partner, proactively flagging potential concerns and asking questions to give more helpful answers.” Of course, OpenAI also points out that it does not replace a medical professional.
