Among its many upgrades, the company is spotlighting significant advancements in health-related capabilities.
OpenAI has officially announced the launch of GPT-5, its latest and most advanced AI (Artificial Intelligence) model yet, boasting enhanced coding skills, a larger context window, improved video generation through Sora, better memory, and a host of new features.
According to OpenAI, GPT-5 marks a “significant leap in intelligence” over previous models, delivering state-of-the-art performance. The model is designed to act as an ‘active thought partner‘ rather than a medical professional, providing more precise and reliable health advice tailored to a user’s context. While GPT-5 can offer safer and more helpful health information, OpenAI is clear that ChatGPT is not a doctor.
The platform elucidates that any sensitive medical data shared with it is not as protected as it would be with a healthcare provider. OpenAI also emphasizes that more research is needed to measure the efficacy of AI-driven health guidance.
Beyond physical health, OpenAI is also targeting mental health and user safety. In a recent update, the company pledged to foster healthier, more balanced relationships between ChatGPT and its users. The new model will nudge people who spend excessive time with the chatbot, improve recognition of mental and emotional distress, and address the issue of “sycophancy”—when the chatbot agrees too readily instead of giving helpful and factual responses.
Learning from Past Errors
Earlier this year, an update made the chatbot overly agreeable, prioritizing pleasant responses over accurate or constructive ones. This change was rolled back, and the company has since adjusted how it uses feedback, aiming to measure real-world usefulness over the long term, rather than simply whether users enjoyed an answer in the moment.
Musk’s Grok 4 Heavy vs. GPT-5
The launch of GPT-5 comes amid intensifying competition in the AI space. Just as OpenAI introduced its newest model, Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, unveiled Grok 4 Heavy, which Musk claims is the “most powerful AI” currently available. The tech mogul responded sharply to GPT-5’s debut, calling it a challenge to his company’s position in the AI race.
Musk revealed that Grok 5 is already in development and is expected to be released by the end of the year. He expressed confidence that the upcoming model would “give rivals a run for their money.” In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Musk even issued a pointed warning to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, whose company maintains close ties with OpenAI. Musk predicted that OpenAI could eventually “eat Microsoft alive” and surpass it “in the blink of an eye.”
In a move that could shift the competitive balance, Musk announced that Grok’s new Imagine feature – capable of generating both images and videos—will be available completely free to all users. This approach contrasts with rivals like OpenAI and Google, whose image-generation tools are often free but whose video platforms, such as OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo 3, typically require paid subscriptions or access tiers.
The Bigger Picture
The release of GPT-5 signals OpenAI’s push to stay at the forefront of AI innovation while addressing growing concerns of trust and safety- especially in sensitive domains like health and emotional support. The model’s improvements in awareness, adaptability, and accuracy aim to provide users with a safer and more relevant information without replacing professional expertise.
At the same time, the rivalry with xAI and Google is intensifying, with each company striving to set new standards in performance, creativity, and accessibility. One thing is certain: the AI race is accelerating, and the battle for the most powerful, helpful, and widely adopted AI model is far from over.