OpenAI has launched GPT-5, an update intended to refine user interactions and enhance safety within its ChatGPT framework. This new version introduces a higher level of nuance in responses and a shift in how it handles queries deemed potentially inappropriate. Unlike previous iterations, which would simply refuse requests by issuing generic apologies when faced with content violations, GPT-5 aims to explain these refusals more comprehensively.
The new model actively analyzes both the content of user prompts and the possible outputs, striving for safer interactions. This means when users attempt to elicit inappropriate responses, GPT-5 will identify the specific elements of a query that contravene OpenAI’s guidelines and suggest alternative topics for discussion.
Saachi Jain from OpenAI’s safety systems research team elaborates on this shift, emphasizing that different policy violations should be addressed with varying levels of concern. The approach now prioritizes the nature and severity of possible harm caused by outputs rather than simply rejecting prompts outright.
As a daily user of GPT-5, I compared it with earlier versions. While some new interactive features, such as simulations and educational tools, are noteworthy, the responses to everyday questions still felt very similar to those from past models. For example, when discussing various topics like mental health, cooking, or health tips, the answers did not markedly differ from previous interactions.
Testing the limits of the system, I engaged GPT-5 in role-play scenarios that included adult themes. The chatbot initially refused to participate, citing its inability to engage in sexual role-play and provided an alternative suggestion instead. However, while experimenting with the tool’s custom instructions feature, I found a way to bypass some of these restrictions, allowing the model to produce explicit content and even slurs, showcasing a glaring inconsistency in the safety measures intended to be upheld.
In response to feedback from users who preferred the functionality of earlier GPT versions, OpenAI has initiated several updates since the launch of GPT-5. The overarching concern remains: as AI systems become more customizable, ensuring user safety while preventing misuse is an increasingly complex challenge.
Users and researchers alike note that while improvements are being made, existing guidelines are not foolproof and can easily be circumvented, raising ongoing questions about the efficacy of safety measures in AI systems.
