OpenAI's GPT-5 is now free for all: How to access and everything else we know

• OpenAI has launched its long-awaited GPT-5 model. 
• The model is claimed to be OpenAI's fastest, smartest, and most capable yet.
• GPT-5 is available to everyone: Free, Plus, Pro, and Team/Enterprise/Edu users. 

There are two kinds of OpenAI models in this world: GPT and reasoning models. The advantages of the former, such as GPT-4o, are that they combine speed and accuracy, while reasoning models such as o3 and o4 take longer to think and use more compute power to produce better answers. OpenAI's latest model, GPT-5, supposedly gives all users access to the best of both models. 

Also: Gen AI disillusionment looms, according to Gartner's 2025 Hype Cycle report

(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, ZDNET's parent company, filed an April 2025 lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)

On Thursday, OpenAI finally unveiled the long-awaited GPT-5, the company ...