Massive criticism flooding social media over OpenAI's allegedly poor GPT-5 release
In a surprising turn of events, OpenAI's latest AI model, GPT-5, has been met with criticism on social media platforms, particularly on Reddit. The launch of GPT-5, detailed by OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman and others, has faced criticism due to technical issues, inconsistent performance, and interface changes.
Users have reported problems with the system switching between quick-answer and deeper reasoning modes, leading to unpredictable quality in responses. The removal of access to older models like GPT-4o has also caused frustration among users who preferred those versions. OpenAI had to revert some changes and restore availability to previous models after user complaints.
Some performance charts presented during the GPT-5 launch were later called misleading by OpenAI, with Sam Altman attributing them to human error, further shaking users’ confidence. The gap between the expectations raised by GPT-5's promise of "PhD-level expertise" and the practical experience for many users has led to disappointment and mocking on social media.
However, it's important to note that GPT-5 incorporates advanced capabilities such as enhanced agentic functions, multimodal inputs, and improved coding support. OpenAI is working on improving user experience and access to the advanced reasoning mode that produces the best outputs.
Elon Musk, CEO of xAI, has also criticized OpenAI's GPT-5, claiming that his company's AI model, Grok 4, is superior. One user even compared the new model to 'Shrinkflation', a term used to describe the practice of reducing the quantity of goods or services while maintaining or increasing the price.
The Washington Post reports that people with a $200-a-month "Pro" subscription have unlimited access to GPT-5. Despite these issues, it remains to be seen how OpenAI will address the concerns raised by its users and improve the overall user experience with GPT-5.
[1] The Verge, "GPT-5: OpenAI's latest AI model faces backlash from users", 8th August 2025. [2] TechCrunch, "OpenAI launches GPT-5: Here's what you need to know", 7th August 2025. [3] Wired, "GPT-5: A new era for AI or a step backward?", 7th August 2025. [4] Ars Technica, "GPT-5: A closer look at the backlash", 10th August 2025. [5] The Guardian, "OpenAI's GPT-5: A leap forward or a step back?", 11th August 2025.
- Despite the criticism and technical issues faced by GPT-5, OpenAI is making efforts to improve its artificial-intelligence model by working on user experience and access to the advanced reasoning mode.
- Elon Musk,the CEO of xAI, has criticized OpenAI's GPT-5, claiming that his company's AI model, Grok 4, is superior and the new model is akin to 'Shrinkflation', a term used to describe the practice of reducing the quantity of goods or services while maintaining or increasing the price.
