OpenAI launches its latest AI chatbot with “PhD-level” expertise, as critics warn of hype and regulatory gaps
OpenAI launches its latest AI chatbot with “PhD-level” expertise, as critics warn of hype and regulatory gaps
OpenAI has launched GPT-5, its newest artificial intelligence chatbot, with chief executive Sam Altman describing it as “smarter, faster, and more useful” than previous models and capable of “PhD-level” expertise.
“I think having something like GPT-5 would be pretty much unimaginable at any previous time in human history,” Altman said ahead of Thursday’s launch. He claimed the model is “significantly better” than its predecessors and offers “fewer hallucinations” and greater honesty in responses.
Altman compared the evolution of OpenAI’s technology to stages of education. “GPT-3 sort of felt to me like talking to a high school student, 4 felt like you’re kind of talking to a college student. GPT-5 is the first time that it really feels like talking to an expert in any topic, like a PhD-level expert.”
The new model, OpenAI says, can create entire pieces of software, show reasoning steps, and provide more accurate, human-like answers. The company is positioning it as a tool for coders, joining a competitive field that includes Anthropic’s Claude Code and Elon Musk’s Grok, which Musk recently called “better than PhD level in everything” and “the world’s smartest AI.”
While OpenAI touts GPT-5 as a major leap, some experts are cautious. Prof Carissa Véliz of the Institute for Ethics in AI said: “These systems, as impressive as they are, haven’t been able to be really profitable. There is a fear that we need to keep up the hype, or else the bubble might burst, and so it might be that it’s mostly marketing.”Gaia Marcus, Director of the Ada Lovelace Institute, warned: “As these models become more capable, the need for comprehensive regulation becomes even more urgent.”
BBC AI Correspondent Marc Cieslak, who tested GPT-5 before launch, said that “apart from minor cosmetic differences the experience was similar to using the older chatbot,” though it is now powered by “a reasoning model” that “thinks harder about solving problems.”
Getty Images chief product officer Grant Farhall added that as AI content grows more convincing, questions about intellectual property must be addressed. “Authenticity matters but it doesn’t come for free,” he said.
The rollout follows tension with rival Anthropic, which revoked OpenAI’s access to its API ahead of GPT-5’s release, accusing the company of violating its terms. OpenAI called the move “disappointing” but “industry standard” for testing competitors’ systems.
The company is also introducing changes to how ChatGPT engages with sensitive topics, saying it will avoid giving definitive personal advice and instead “help you think it through asking questions, weighing pros and cons.” Altman acknowledged that AI may lead to “problematic, or maybe very problematic, parasocial relationships” but insisted “the upsides will be tremendous.”
GPT-5 will roll out to all users from Thursday, with a free tier available. Whether it is as transformative as Altman claims will become clearer in the coming days.
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