Technology Correspondent
San Francisco – August 8, 2025:
OpenAI has officially rolled out GPT-5, the newest version of its flagship AI model that powers ChatGPT—ushering in what the company describes as a major leap in both performance and practical application.
In a briefing held Thursday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called GPT-5 “a PhD-level expert at your fingertips,” highlighting its sharpened capabilities in software engineering, complex reasoning, and industry-specific tasks like finance, healthcare, and scientific writing. The model also introduces a standout feature known as “vibe coding”, which allows it to generate complete, functional software programs from plain language prompts.
“You can ask it to build you software—and it just does,” Altman told reporters, noting how GPT-5 was designed to handle real-world tasks with a depth of understanding not previously possible.
Smarter Where It Counts
One of the key innovations in GPT-5 is the introduction of “test-time compute”, a system that allows the model to draw on additional computing power when handling particularly challenging queries. This marks the first time OpenAI has made this technology available to the general public.
Early testers have praised GPT-5’s performance in technical disciplines like mathematics and science, though some reviewers say the improvements over GPT-4 feel more evolutionary than revolutionary. Still, the model shows greater reliability and depth, particularly in longer, multi-step reasoning tasks.
Available to All – With Bigger Ambitions
OpenAI confirmed that GPT-5 will be accessible to all 700 million ChatGPT users, a move aimed at reinforcing the platform’s widespread appeal while justifying its deep investments in infrastructure. The announcement comes as major tech giants—Microsoft (OpenAI’s primary backer), Google (Alphabet), Amazon, and Meta—are projected to collectively spend nearly US$400 billion on AI data centers this fiscal year.
Altman acknowledged that while consumer adoption of ChatGPT has soared, enterprise spending on AI remains cautious, a concern echoed by industry analysts.
“The consumer excitement is real—but it alone can’t fund this scale of investment,” noted economist and tech writer Noah Smith, highlighting the gap between enthusiasm and commercial monetization.
Eyes on the Future
While GPT-5 is a significant step forward, Altman was candid about its current limits: the model still cannot learn on its own, a feature researchers consider essential to achieving human-like adaptability in AI.
Meanwhile, OpenAI is reportedly exploring a secondary share sale that would value the company at US$500 billion, up from a previous valuation of $300 billion. The boom in AI has also fueled a fierce talent war in the tech industry, with top researchers now commanding signing bonuses reaching $100 million.
Altman also emphasized the urgent need to expand AI infrastructure worldwide, not only to meet growing demand but to ensure equitable access to powerful tools like GPT-5.
“If we want AI to benefit everyone, we need to build infrastructure everywhere—not just in Silicon Valley,” he said. Nearly three years after the original ChatGPT launch sparked a global AI boom, the challenge for OpenAI is no longer just innovation—it’s scale, sustainability, and real-world
