The wait for the long-anticipated GPT-5 models are over. After months of speculation, users can finally start taking advantage of OpenAI’s technology evolution. While there are those who have argued with CEO Sam Altman about this claim in the hours since its arrival, the company calls GPT-5 its “best model” to date — and in many ways, it is.
OpenAI says GPT-5 evolved in all the tasks it was already good at in the previous version, including coding, math, writing, generating images, and more. However, there are other fundamental changes that will make using ChatGPT easier and more efficient with this week’s update.
Besides the cosmetic app changes, such as a new ChatGPT interface with customizable colors for conversation bubbles, a voice button, and highlighted text, there are plenty of notable upgrades behind the scenes, including the elimination of the model picker, new personalities, and a significant update to voice mode. Here’s a breakdown of these features.
Here’s how GPT-5 changes the game for ChatGPT
First and foremost, picking between ChatGPT’s different models has always been a hurdle for some users. After all, with six different models to choose from, how would people know which one was best for each subject? What if they change subjects mid-conversation? It was confusing, but ChatGPT is removing the model picker, as GPT-5 will always choose the best model for you based on the context of your prompt. This alone should draw in users who were previously put off by the work required to use the tool effectively.
OpenAI also says ChatGPT is getting four different personalities, which we hope avoid the effusive praise users dealt with earlier this year. These include Cynic (sarcastic and dry), Robot (precise, efficient, and delivers direct answers), Listener (warm and laid-back), and Nerd (playful and curious, celebrating knowledge and discovery). You can decide which personality works best for you.
Going forward, “advanced voice mode” is now just “ChatGPT Voice,” and paid subscribers will have the ability to change its speaking style while benefiting from improved instruction-following. Meanwhile, Standard Voice Mode is being retired on September 9, 2025, but all free and paid users will have access to ChatGPT Voice.
