PhD-level AI? Here's what you need to know about GPT-5

OpenAI, best known for developing ChatGPT, has officially launched the fifth generation of its AI engine.

Chief Executive Sam Altman described the new release as a major leap forward, now capable of performing at the level of “legitimate PhD-level professionals,” compared to the previous version’s college-level proficiency.

“You can access an entire team of PhD-level experts in your pocket helping you in whatever you want,” Altman said.

The latest ChatGPT features sharper academic performance, improved writing capabilities, and advanced multimodal reasoning, boasting higher reliability and accuracy than other AI systems on the market.

Other functions include coding — even creating games and web apps from scratch — and expanded language translation via voice chat. Users can now customize the AI’s tone and personality to match their communication style.

OpenAI also touted a stronger memory feature, enabling ChatGPT to recall information from days or even weeks earlier in a conversation, making it a more effective and personalized assistant.

The model is also more human-like and less prone to generating false information. “It is now less deceptive,” the company stressed, adding that GPT-5 is designed to refuse dangerous commands, enhancing user safety.

Healthcare assistance has been reinforced, with OpenAI citing instances where the AI has aided people during emergencies.

Business tools were also a key focus, with GPT-5 capable of producing concise financial dashboards and similar resources in minutes, compared to the hours such work might take manually.

“It beats every single other model in terms of accuracy and speed,” OpenAI emphasized.

GPT-5 is now available for free on OpenAI’s website, while Pro subscribers gain access to extended features.