What's Ahead
Today’s newsletter is dedicated to ChatGPT 5.
We’ll cover the main “upgrades” and use cases.
But first, let’s cover the DRAMA.
ChatGPT 5 launched with many problems that have caused a lot of online drama.
No more model choice led to breakdown in user workflows
Unwanted change in tone led to short, impersonal, mechanical responses
Usage restrictions limited access - a friend of mine put out a message the day after launch saying he used all his tokens!
All this led to a backlash of Plus user cancellations and a surge of Free users.
Open AI did shift course allowing Plus users access to older models like 4o.
They also significantly increased rate limits for Plus users.
Personally, I think they’ll iron it out bugs, but one thing does seem clear.
They want to push people off their free platform and into paid Plus usage.
Now the drama is out of the way, here’s key details of the new release.
Thanks for being here!
-Mark Savant
ChatGPT 5 Is Fastest Yet
ChatGPT 5 aims to be the quickest and most capable version so far. It chooses between quick replies for simple tasks and deeper thinking for complex ones. You also get clearer questions when it needs more detail and a cleaner screen that is easier to use. Some reports say replies can be up to 50% faster than before.
The Update: Pick 3 repeat tasks this week. Run them in 5, note minutes saved, and spend that time on higher value work or family.
Limits You Should Expect
It still makes mistakes. Message limits depend on the plan you choose. Some older models are gone. It is not a human level do everything brain. Treat results as helpful drafts, not the final word.
The Update: Never paste sensitive info. Double check anything medical, legal, or money related before you act.
Access Tiers And How It Pays
There are four levels. Free, Plus, Pro, and Enterprise. Free drops to a smaller model after you hit limits. Plus raises limits. Pro gives higher limits with deeper thinking. Enterprise adds controls for companies. There is also a separate offer that prices usage at $1 for U S federal agencies for the next year.
The Update: Pick the plan that fits your volume. Review usage monthly so costs do not surprise you.
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Improvements You Will Notice
Safer answers aim to guide you instead of just refusing. Measured errors and deceptive answers are lower in thinking mode, from 4.8% to 2.1% in one comparison. The memory window is bigger, up to 256,000 tokens from 200,000, so longer chats and larger files can stay in view.
The Update: Work in larger chunks. Keep related files in one thread and still verify anything high stakes.
Integrations And Personalization
Access is wider across plans. Pro can connect to Google services like Gmail, Contacts, and Calendar to help with planning and follow through. There are optional personality styles such as Cynic, Robot, Listener, and Nerd that shape tone.
The Update: Connect only what you need and check privacy settings. Use styles sparingly and turn them off if the tone is not right.
Skills And What It Can Do
It is stronger across math, science, finance, law, and health questions. It can help with code, including small examples like building a Tetris game in canvas. Some describe it as having a PhD level expert in your pocket. If a system can pass medical exams and people use it for health questions, it raises a fair question about certificates or standards.
The Update: Use it for first passes on code and analysis. Keep yourself in the loop for accuracy and relationships.