Share
The development of artificial intelligence is progressing at a breathtaking pace. We've barely gotten used to the capabilities of GPT-4, and GPT-5 is already waiting in the wings as the next generation. What can we expect from this new AI model? What improvements and new features will it bring? And when exactly will GPT-5 be released? In this comprehensive article, we take a look at everything that is currently known about GPT-5.
What We Know About GPT-5 So Far
Although OpenAI has been reticent about concrete details on GPT-5, there is already some interesting information and predictions:
- GPT-5 is currently in development, as confirmed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman
- A release is expected in 2024, possibly as early as summer
- GPT-5 is supposed to represent a significant performance leap over GPT-4
- Improvements are expected especially in logical reasoning and reliability
- Multimodal capabilities such as speech and image processing are to be expanded
- The context window could be significantly enlarged
- The number of parameters is expected to increase to 2-5 trillion
Although many details are still speculative, it's becoming clear that GPT-5 will take the capabilities of AI language models to a new level. Let's take a look at the expected improvements in detail.
Improved Intelligence and Logical Thinking
A central aspect that OpenAI wants to address with GPT-5 is the improvement of general intelligence and the ability to think logically. Sam Altman said about this:
"Perhaps the most important area of progress will be the ability to think logically. At the moment, GPT-4 can only think logically to a very limited extent."
Specifically, this means that GPT-5 should be better able to:
- Understand complex relationships
- Draw logical conclusions
- Solve problems in a structured way
- Grasp the user's intention more precisely
- Filter and link relevant information
These improved cognitive abilities would greatly expand the possibilities for use. GPT-5 could thus become an even more powerful assistant for demanding tasks in areas such as research, analysis, or strategy development.
Higher Reliability and Consistency
Another focus in the development of GPT-5 is on increasing reliability. Altman explained:
"If you ask GPT-4 most questions 10,000 times, one of those 10,000 is probably pretty good, but it doesn't always know which one, and you want to get the best answer out of 10,000 every time.
That's why this increase in reliability will be important."
Specifically, GPT-5 should:
- Provide more consistent answers
- Produce fewer errors and "hallucinations"
- Better assess how reliable its own outputs are
- Communicate more transparently in cases of uncertainty
This increased reliability would make GPT-5 much more attractive for many professional applications. Users could rely more on the outputs without having to constantly double-check everything.
Enhanced Multimodal Capabilities
Multimodality, i.e., the ability to process different input and output formats, is likely to play an even bigger role in GPT-5. Expected are:
- Improved image and video analysis
- Advanced speech recognition and output
- More natural conversations taking into account tone and context
- Possibly even video generation, similar to the Sora model
These multimodal capabilities would take human-AI interaction to a new level. GPT-5 could thus become an even more versatile assistant for all kinds of tasks.
Larger Context Window
A key technical improvement in GPT-5 is likely to be the enlargement of the context window. While GPT-4 works with 128,000 tokens, experts expect GPT-5 to jump to up to:
- 1 million tokens (like Google's Gemini model)
- Or even 40 trillion tokens (prediction by AI expert Alan Thompson)#
A significantly larger context window would allow GPT-5 to:
- Process longer texts and documents
- Consider more context
- Stay more consistent over longer conversations
- Handle more complex tasks in one go
This would be an enormous advance, especially for enterprise applications with large amounts of data.
Increased Adaptability
Another trend that is likely to continue with GPT-5 is improved adaptability. Sam Altman emphasized the importance of personalization:
"People want very different things from GPT-4: different styles, different assumptions."
For GPT-5, we can therefore expect:
- More options for customizing style and personality
- Better understanding of individual user preferences
- More flexible use cases for different tasks and industries
This increased adaptability would make GPT-5 an even more versatile tool for a wide range of applications.
Possible Release Date of GPT-5
When exactly can we expect the release of GPT-5? Predictions vary, but there are some interesting indications:
- Mira Murati, CTO of OpenAI, spoke of about 1.5 years until the "next generation" - which would point to the end of 2025
- Other sources expect an earlier release, possibly as early as summer 2024
- The training time is estimated at 4-6 months, twice as long as for GPT-4
OpenAI has not officially communicated a date yet. It is quite possible that the launch will be delayed if unforeseen problems arise during testing.
Training Data and Ethical Questions
A sensitive issue in the development of GPT-5 is the training data used. OpenAI uses publicly available information from the internet for this, which can lead to legal problems:
- The New York Times has sued OpenAI for unauthorized use of copyrighted content
- Other news agencies have also taken legal action
- There are allegations that the training process violates EU data protection rules
So far, these lawsuits do not seem to significantly hinder the development of GPT-5. However, OpenAI may need to adjust its data sources and training process to minimize legal risks.
Possible Costs of GPT-5
How much will it cost to use GPT-5? If OpenAI maintains its current pricing model, we can expect a premium over GPT-4:
- ChatGPT with GPT-4 currently costs $20 per month
- The GPT-4 API costs $30 per 1 million input tokens and $60 per 1 million output tokens
Higher prices are expected for GPT-5, at least initially. However, OpenAI has also shown with GPT-4o that cheaper models are possible:
- GPT-4o costs only $5 per 1 million input tokens and $15 per 1 million output tokens
It remains to be seen how OpenAI will position GPT-5. Possibly, GPT-4 will then become the new free standard model.
The Future of ChatGPT and AI coworkers
With GPT-5, OpenAI wants to take another step towards human-like AI coworkers. Brad Lightcap, COO of OpenAI, hinted:
"Will there still be such a thing as a prompter in 2026? You don't make your friend a prompter."
The vision is therefore an AI assistant that:
- Communicates more naturally and human-like
- Proactively takes on tasks and makes suggestions
- Adapts to individual needs and preferences
- Supports in many areas of life
GPT-5 is likely to make a big step in this direction, although the full vision will probably only become a reality in later generations.
Challenges and Risks
With all the fascinating possibilities of GPT-5, there are also challenges and potential risks to consider:
- Data protection and privacy: How will sensitive user data be protected?
- Bias and fairness: How can biases in the model be minimized?
- Misuse: How can the use for harmful purposes be prevented?
- Job losses: What impact will GPT-5 have on the job market?
- Dependence: Is there a risk of becoming too dependent on AI systems?
OpenAI and other AI companies must address these questions to ensure responsible development and use of GPT-5.
Competition and the AI Ecosystem
GPT-5 will enter an increasingly competitive AI ecosystem. Besides OpenAI, other tech giants are also working on advanced language models:
- Google with its Gemini model
- Anthropic with Claude 3 (Opus, Sonnet and Haiku)
- Meta with LLaMA 2
- Microsoft with its own AI developments
This competition is likely to further accelerate innovation. For users, it means a wider choice of powerful AI tools for different use cases.
Conclusion: GPT-5 as a Milestone in AI Evolution
The development of GPT-5 marks another milestone in the rapid evolution of AI language models. With improved cognitive abilities, higher reliability, expanded multimodal features, and increased adaptability, GPT-5 promises a significant performance leap.
Although the exact release date is still unclear, we can be excited about the new possibilities GPT-5 will open up. At the same time, we must carefully consider the ethical and societal implications of this technology.
One thing is certain: With GPT-5, the interaction between humans and AI will be taken to a new level. We are on the threshold of an era in which AI assistants will become increasingly familiar and powerful companions in our daily lives and work.
Frequently asked questions
