News
- Sony's chief financial officer Lin Tao has admitted that its current live-service strategy "is not entirely going smoothly"
- Tao said, despite Concord's shutdown and Marathon's delay, she still believes in Sony's strategy but will learn from its mistakes
- Live-service games accounted for 40% of Sony's first-party software revenue in Q1, but "for the full year it's a little less, probably between 20-30%"
Sony has admitted that its current live-service strategy "is not entirely going smoothly" following the disastrous launch of Concord, but says it will continue with its plan and learn from its mistakes.
During a recent Q&A session after the company's latest financial results (via VGC), one caller asked the panel of executives for an update on PlayStation's live-service strategy amid the delay of Marathon and following the shutdown of Concord.
In response, Sony's chief financial officer Lin Tao said that she still believes in live-service games, despite recent negativity, explaining that other games like Helldivers 2 and Destiny 2 have managed to produce a steady revenue stream that didn't exist five years ago.
"Last year Concord [shut down], and this year Marathon was postponed, so somewhat negative news has been coming out," said Tao (via an interpreter).
"But if we look at the past five years, five years ago live service games were almost non-existent for PlayStation Studios. We [now] have Helldivers 2, MLB The Show, and Gran Turismo 7, and Bungie’s Destiny 2, so we have these four live services contributing to sales and profits in a stable manner."
During the presentation, it was revealed that live service games accounted for 40% of first-party software revenue for Q1 and "for the full year it's a little less, probably between 20-30%".
"So in terms of the transformation, it’s not entirely going smoothly, but from a longer-term perspective, if you look at the changes over five years, you see that there’s definitely been a change," Tao added.
"Of course, we recognise that there are still many issues, so we should learn the lessons from mistakes and make sure that we introduce live service content where there’s less waste and it’s more smooth."
Concord was shut down just two weeks after its launch due to poor sales and a low player count.
At the time, game director Ryan Ellis said Firewalk Studios was exploring options, had ceased the sale of Concord, and offered refunds to all PS5 and PC players.
While this live-service game overwhelmingly underperformed, PlayStation's Helldivers 2 was a massive success, selling 12 million copies in its first 12 weeks on sale. The game was so popular at release that Arrowhead was forced to increase its concurrent player cap to 700,000 after it breezed past 450,000.
Developer Arrowhead Game Studios also recently announced that the Sony-published game will launch on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on August 26, 2025.
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- The Nintendo Switch 2 is the company’s least ambitious console to date, but its improvements are astronomical
- I’ve spent 150 hours with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and the Switch 2 Edition is an incredible upgrade
- Microsoft's AI helper for gaming has debuted in Windows 11
- Gaming Copilot is in the Game Bar, but it's only in beta testing for now
- Gaming handheld owners may worry about performance, but Microsoft says it's optimizing the feature for these devices
As Microsoft promised earlier this year, Gaming Copilot - the AI helper for gamers - is now on PCs (after previously debuting in testing on smartphones in the Xbox mobile app).
Neowin highlighted a blog post from Microsoft announcing that Gaming Copilot (previously called Copilot for Gaming) is now in the Game Bar for Windows 11 PCs, although the functionality is still in beta testing.
This means that Xbox Insiders (testers) will get an icon for Gaming Copilot in the Game Bar - just click that to fire up the assistant in Windows 11 on your gaming PC (or perhaps handheld).
The AI understands what game you’re currently playing, and is designed to help you when you get stuck in a game, and to do so seamlessly - in the Game Bar overlay - without having to switch away to a web browser window to look for tips and so forth.
Microsoft also points out that for added convenience, there's a Voice Mode, so - assuming you have a microphone - you can talk to Copilot to ask for help. The AI will also use screenshots of the game that's running to understand what you're asking about, and hopefully provide more relevant info and guidance as a result.
As noted, this feature is now available on the Game Bar, but only to those who are in the Xbox Insider program - you'll also need to ensure the Xbox app on your PC is updated to the latest version.
Note that Microsoft has only deployed this feature to the US and certain other countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and Singapore. Notably, the UK and Europe aren't getting Gaming Copilot yet, which is unusual and likely bound up in data regulations.
Analysis: Concerns about in-game handholding on handhelds - and more besides(Image credit: Microsoft)This looks to be a useful feature, despite the cries of 'no, not more AI jammed into Windows 11'. I get that sentiment, but in fairness, if you're not interested - or worried about privacy in some way (with the AI 'watching' your gaming) - just don't use Gaming Copilot.
As to how useful this AI assistant will be, I haven't tried it personally, but it does look like a neat time-saver. There is a worry when it comes to Windows 11 gaming handhelds, namely that it's going to hit performance (and battery life). After all, this is an extra task going on in-game (which is the mentioned convenience) - so how might that affect frame rates?
Microsoft acknowledges this concern in its blog post and notes that right now, the feature is limited on handhelds. The company advises: "While Gaming Copilot (Beta) is also available now for Xbox Insiders to try on Windows handhelds with limited functionality, further optimizations are underway for handhelds as we approach the launch of the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X."
Of course, if you have your smartphone handy, you can always use Gaming Copilot on that second screen - via the Xbox mobile app - and swerve any performance concerns (albeit that's hardly a seamless way of working).
Perhaps there's another potential worry here, too, and that's related to the convenience of having hints and help on tap in such an easy fashion. Are AI-powered abilities like this going to encourage more laziness in gaming, with people reaching for help after only being stuck for a very short time, rather than trying to figure things out themselves?
I guess that's a broader, more philosophical concern about gaming, and the choice to enlist the help of AI seamlessly, at the drop of a hat, could have more of an impact than we might imagine in the future. Although the bigger worry will doubtless be with AI snaking its helpful tentacles into competitive games, and Microsoft is already talking about how Gaming Copilot will offer 'proactive coaching' and 'richer game assistance' in general.
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- Microsoft has all but given up on Windows 11 SE – and it looks like the war against Chromebooks has been lost
Prime Video is one of the best streaming services out there, but it's also not the cheapest, which is why it's great to see that its 30-day free trial is still up for grabs.
That’s a huge draw for entertainment junkies, giving potential new subscribers an entire month to catch award-winning Amazon Originals, live sports and whole host of movies, including recent Oscar winners like Anora, for free.
- Prime Video free trial: sign up to get it now!
Signing up is easy, there’s tons to watch, and a paid membership doesn’t have to break the bank once the Prime Video free trial has come to an end. Indeed, there's so much to uncover – just look at our best Prime Video shows and best Prime Video movies roundups for the biggest and best titles.
I've really been enjoying Prime Video, especially since the streamer adapted my favorite video game series, Fallout, for the small screen. With Fallout season 2 and other great Prime Video Originals like The Wheel of Time and The Rings of Power impressing audiences, it's worth sticking around beyond your free trial.
Steps for how to get an Prime Video free trialIf you’re new to Amazon Prime, or it’s been over twelve months since you were a Prime member, then the 30-day Prime Video free trial is available. It’s even better for students, who are entitled to an incredible 6 months of free streaming.
Signing up is easy, just follow the bullet points below:
- Go to Prime Video
- Select ‘Try Prime’
- Sign in to your Amazon account
- Follow the on-screen instructions if prompted
Your Amazon account will need a current, valid credit card linked to it. But, as long as you cancel your membership before the free trial period expires, you won't be charged.
In the US, Amazon Channels often provide a seven-day trial too, letting you explore a la carte options like Cinemax. But you need to be a fully-fledged, Amazon Prime subscription member to get those.
Step by step guide for how to get a Prime Video free trialVisit the Prime Video app or site(Image credit: Prime Video)To get started, head to the Prime Video site or download the app on your tablet or phone. If you're a new customer, you'll be prompted to "start your 30-day free trial", which you can click on to navigate to the next step.
Sign in to Amazon or create a new account(Image credit: Amazon)If you already have an Amazon account but you've never used Prime Video, you can sign in to continue to your free trial. If you're a new customer, you'll be prompted to sign up for an Amazon account where you'll provide details like your email, shipping address, and preferred billing card details. You will also complete a small captcha puzzle to verify you are human.
Sign up for your 30-day free trial(Image credit: Prime Video)Finally, you'll be taken to this screen which prompts you to add a billing card for when your 30-day free trial ends. Once you've done this, you'll be redirected to start your trial. Remember to cancel before your 30-day period is up if you don't want to get charged!
Prime Video free trial: What to watchDon't miss the critically-acclaimed Fallout on Prime Video. (Image credit: JoJo Whilden/Prime Video)There’s plenty to feast your eyes on with thousands of movies and TV series. It has classic Hollywood fare licensing movies like It’s A Wonderful Life, brooding modern thrillers – like You Were Never Really Here and Zodiac, for example – and plenty of comedies and feel-good indie flicks.
Prime Video is packed with great Prime Video Originals too, including Hunters, Fleabag and The Boys to name only a few. Then there’s a slew of hugely anticipated releases like the Gen V, as well as Mr. and Mrs.Smith.
Meanwhile, sports fans can enjoy live matches and docuseries like All or Nothing. And, if some of your favorite programming is missing, chances are you’ll find it via Amazon Channels. There are more than 100 you can subscribe to, such as HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and Shudder, which often provide their own 7-day free trial.
Much like Netflix, the content available does vary from country to country. So the best way to see exactly what's on offer where you are is to head to Amazon and grab that 30-day free trial.
Prime Video free trial: FAQsHow much does Prime Video cost?Amazon Prime – which bundles together Prime Video, unlimited music, free delivery, and more – typically costs $14.99 a month in the US and £8.99 in the UK, AU$9.99 in Australia and €8.99 in Europe.
If you pay for a full annual membership, you can save a decent chunk of change, all the while getting lightning-fast delivery and multi-media entertainment all year round.
Plan
Monthly
Annually
Standard
$14.99 / £8.99 / AU$9.99 per month
$139 / £95 / AU$79 annually
Ad-free
$17.98 / £11.98 / AU$12.98
$174.88 / £130.88 / AU$114.88
Which countries is Prime Video available in?Prime Video can be watched in over 200 countries and territories, giving access to both Amazon Prime or Prime Video subscriptions to anyone with a compatible device.
The only places it's not available is Mainland China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Russia, Belarus, Syria, and Vietnam.
Can I get a Prime Video free trial as a student?Yes, in the US you can sign up for Prime for Young Adults, a six month free trial which gives you access to free shipping, access to Prime Video and Amazon Music.
You are eligible for this deal if you are a currently enrolled student, or between the ages of 18-24. It lasts until you turn 25, or graduate. After that sixth month trial, Prime for Young Adults members are charged a monthly payment of $7.49 unless cancelled.
In the UK, you can sign up for a similar subscription called Prime Student which entitles you to the same benefits, and entitles you to a six month free trial. You’ll need to be enrolled at a UK university with a .ac.uk email address to be eligible, and after the trial you'll pay £4.49 a month.
How do I cancel my Prime Video free trial?1. Go to Amazon.com
2. Go to Account & Settings, then select the Your Account tab.
3. If it's a Prime Video-only subscription, select End Subscription.
4. To cancel your whole Amazon Prime subscription, go to Prime Membership Settings, Manage Subscription, then choose to End Subscription.
When Prime Video launched back in 2016, it cost $8.99 / £7.99 / AU$8.99 per month, and it has gone up since then thanks to the addition of a new tier.
In 2024, Prime Video did see a price hike as the streaming service introduced a new ad-supported tier. This meant that those wanting to watch without ads would have to pay an additional $2.99 / £2.99 / AU$2.99 per month.
- Experts say Microsoft Teams and Zoom are perfect for hiding Ghost Calls
- Attackers can obtain temporary TURN credentials and create a tunnel
- Vendors must implement safeguards, because there are no vulnerabilities in sight
Researchers from Praetorian have shed the light on Ghost Calls, a post-exploitation command-and-control evasion technique which send attacker traffic through legitimate Traversal Using Relays around NAT (TURN) servers used by the likes of Zoom and Microsoft Teams, to evade detection.
The attack works by hijacking the temporary TURN credentials that conferencing calls receive when they join a meeting, and then establishing a tunnel between the compromised host and the attacker's machine.
Because all the traffic is routed through trusted Zoom/Teams IPs and domains, which are typically whitelisted inside enterprises, these types of hijacking attacks can fly under the radar.
Teams and Zoom susceptible to attacksPraetorian explained that because the attack leverages infrastructure already allowed through corporate firewall,s proxies and TLS inspection, Ghost Calls can easily evade traditional defenses.
Blending traffic with normal, low-latency video meeting traffic patterns also helps the cybercriminals, who can eliminate the exposure of attacker-controlled domains and servers
Praetorian explains in the first of its two blog posts that video conferencing platforms "are designed to function even in environments with relatively strict egress controls," so if an attacker can crack into these systems, they could have a higher chance of data exfiltration.
"Additionally, this traffic is often end-to-end encrypted using AES or other strong encryption. This means the traffic is naturally heavily obfuscated and impossible to analyze in depth which makes it a perfect place to hide as an attacker," the researchers added.
TURN credentials typically expire after two to three days, so tunnels are short-lived, but alarmingly, Praetorian explains that there isn't necessarily a vulnerability for vendors to patch, adding that they must instead focus on introducing further safeguards to prevent against Ghost Call attacks.
You might also like- We've listed the best firewalls
- Check out the best VPNs and best business VPNs
- Good news - humans are getting better at spotting malware...but we're still pretty bad at it
It's the one we've all been waiting for – ChatGPT-5 is will be released in the next few hours! Earlier in the week OpenAI CEO Sam Altman teased that "something big" was coming on Friday, but then today the OpenAI account on X.com tweeted: "LIVE5TREAM THURSDAY 10AM PT".
Notice the use of a 5 instead of an "S" in the word "LIVE5TREAM"? That can mean only one thing: ChatGPT-5 is coming!
With a livestream kicking off at 10AM PT, 1PM ET, and 6PM BST, we'll embed the watch link as soon as it's live below, and TechRadar will bring you the news as it breaks.
So what can we expect? Well, the speculation is that ChatGPT-5 models (the names of a few of which have already been leaked) will be leaps and bounds ahead of the ChatGPT-4 models that we currently use in terms of performance.
What we don't know yet is which of the various OpenAI subscription offerings will get access to the new ChatGPT-5 models first, and will it be available to free users as well? We'll keep you up to date with the latest news as it breaks here.
ChatGPT-5 accidentally leaks hours before launchAs we sit down with snacks and drinks watching the screen and waiting for a live stream to appear for the imminent launch of ChatGPT-5 it appears that a leak on GitHub has revealed the name of the different ChatGPT-5 models.
It looks like we will have gpt-5, designed for logic and multi-step tasks, .gpt-5-mini, a lightweight version for cost-sensitive applications, gpt-5-nano, which is Optimized for speed and ideal for applications requiring low latency, and gpt-5-chat, designed for advanced, natural, multimodal, and context-aware conversations for enterprise applications.
That's no moon... that's ChatGPT-5?Sam Altman has confounded the Internet once again by posting a picture of what appears to be the Death Star from Star Wars rising menacingly from behind a planet.
pic.twitter.com/1u0MOGvJWUAugust 7, 2025
Everybody is a bit confused by the meaning of this, so, who better to ask what it could mean than rival AI, Grok?
When asked what the image could mean, Grok replied: "Sam Altman's image of the Death Star symbolizes the rise of immensely powerful AI, like the anticipated GPT-5—a transformative force with potential risks, echoing Star Wars' superweapon. It's likely teasing OpenAI's next big breakthrough."
Sam Altman followed up his mysterious Death Star image post on X.com with a more down-to-earth statement in his next post:
"Our livestream tomorrow at 10 am PDT will be longer than usual, around an hour. We have a lot to show and hope you can find the the time to watch!"
our livestream tomorrow at 10 am PDT will be longer than usual, around an hour.we have a lot to show and hope you can find the the time to watch!August 7, 2025
To be honest Sam, an hour is not that long to reveal the details of what could potentially be the new standard in AI chatbots, so I think you should take as long as you need.
Why the Death Star image for ChatGPT-5?At first, Sam Altman posting a picture of the Death Star in relation to the launch of ChatGPT-5, his own product, seemed like an odd way to market something to me. I mean, what's he trying to say? Is it, "This thing is so scary it could destroy a planet"?
However, when you view it in context of the things he has recently said about AI creating new and unparalleled security risks and that fact that he finds ChatGPT-5 scary, it fits in. On the one hand, Altman is always pushing the narrative of how great AI will be for the future of the world and for the next generation, but at the same time he's always talking about how AI has the potential to be dangerous.
This new type of marketing, where he both praises and criticizes his own product, is certainly nothing new for him, and perhaps it reframes the narrative and puts him ahead of OpenAI's critics? Whatever his reasons, it certainly seems to be working.
ChatGPT-5 is just the beginning(Image credit: Shutterstock/Adeel Ahmed photos)As I wait with bated breath for the release of ChatGPT-5 (at 10am PT), I'm thinking about what Sam Altman said just a few days ago. "We have a ton of stuff to launch over the next couple of months – new models, products, features, and more”.
So, earlier this week, OpenAI dropped its gpt-oss models, which are designed to run entirely on laptops and phones. In a few short hours, we'll get ChatGPT-5, but what next? The next couple of months are a long time, which means we might see quite a few new features being released.
John-Anthony Disotto here, taking over from Graham while he gets fed and watered. I decided the best way to get a glimpse of GPT-5's capabilities would be to ask ChatGPT itself what we can expect during today's livestream.
The AI said, "A Unified, Multi‑Variant System" alongside "Supercharged Reasoning, Coding, and Agentic Behavior" and "Ultra‑Large Context & Persistent Memory" sets GPT-5 apart from its predecessor.
Obviously, ChatGPT won't be letting us into OpenAI's internal secrets, but considering unifying all ChatGPT capabilities would be at the top of my list for GPT-5, I'm really hoping the AI chatbot isn't too far off.
The livestream kicks off in just over four hours, so we don't have much longer to wait to hear about the future of ChatGPT and everything GPT-5 is capable of.
Benchmark leak?holy hell pic.twitter.com/ausKp4vancAugust 7, 2025
Leaks are popping up all across social media including this rumored score on the ARC-AGI-2 test, a benchmark that highlights an AI model's capability of dealing with logic.
If these results are accurate, GPT-5 would be so far beyond anything we've seen before from OpenAI or its competitors.
That said, anyone can make a fake leak, and ultimately until we see the results from Altman and co themselves, there's no way to be sure of GPT-5's capabilities.
Just imagine though...
What does Microsoft Copilot think about GPT-5(Image credit: Microsoft)With just over three hours until the OpenAI livestream, we've started to ask other AI tools what they think about GPT-5. After all, who doesn't want to hear AI's thoughts on its own evolution, right?
Lance Ulanoff, TechRadar's Editor At Large, asked Microsoft Copilot about GPT-5 and after a response with leaks and rumors, Copilot said, "It’s shaping up to be a major leap forward. If you could design your own GPT-5 variant, what would it specialize in—creativity, emotional intelligence, or something else entirely?"
Lance replied: "Emotional intelligence, for sure. Have you tried GPT-5?"
Copilot responded, "I haven’t tried GPT-5 myself—since I’m not a user, I don’t get to 'use' other models. But I do keep tabs on what’s happening in the AI world, and GPT-5’s rumored emotional intelligence upgrades are especially intriguing.
If it’s anything like what’s been hinted, it could:
Read tone and subtext more accurately in conversations
Respond with empathy and nuance, even in complex emotional situations
Adapt its personality to match the user’s mood or communication style
Support mental health applications with more sensitivity and care
Imagine an AI that not only understands what you say, but also how you feel when you say it. That’s a whole new level of connection. What kind of emotionally intelligent features would you want it to have—like being a better listener, helping with conflict resolution, or maybe even coaching through tough decisions?"
WOAH. This is probably all a pipe dream but Copilot has thought up a future OpenAI model that completely evolves ChatGPT's emotional intelligence. Is this something you'd be interested in?
The hype is buildingDropping soon. pic.twitter.com/WSuOn3qE6yAugust 7, 2025
OpenAI just tweeted a GPT-5 teaser, and as the name would suggest it doesn't give us any real insight other than the fact that it's likely going to replace GPT-4o.
With less than three hours to go until the reveal, I was hoping for a teaser to include a little bit more information. I guess not today.
A new ChatGPT subscription(Image credit: OpenAI)New images have appeared online detailing a ChatGPT Go subscription, likely to sit between free tier users and ChatGPT Plus subscriptions.
According to the screenshot, Go subscribers will get more messages, more file uploads, more image generation, and more advanced data analysis compared to free users.
This does add a slight concern to the future of ChatGPT's free tier. Does this mean we'll all be paying for the AI we've become accustomed to using for free at some point? I sure hope not...
Please fix the naming schemeOpenAI's AI model naming scheme is confusing. There's 4o, o3, o3-mini, o3-high, just to name a few.
In a few hours, at least four more models will be added to the mix, and it begs the question: At what point will OpenAI's marketing step up and make ChatGPT more user-friendly?
If the company chooses to add another subscription tier with the aforementioned ChatGPT Go, not only will we have an AI model naming issue, but users will start to get confused by subscription tiers, too.
Please, OpenAI, fix your naming scheme.
Two hours to go(Image credit: OpenAI)Only two hours until the GPT-5 reveal, and we still don't have a livestream link on YouTube to share.
As soon as OpenAI adds a listing for the livestream, we'll be sure to add it to this live blog, so stay tuned as we delve into the future of AI (and ChatGPT).
Another ChatGPT livestream(Image credit: OpenAI)It's only been two weeks since OpenAI revealed ChatGPT Agent in a livestream, and yet here we are waiting for what many believe to be the next generation of AI model.
Is GPT-5 really going to be as impressive as its next generation name would suggest? Or are we going to see small performance improvements in line with an iterative upgrade?
Either way, OpenAI needs to showcase why users should care about GPT-5 in this upcoming livestream, and so far the company's livestreams have been anything but engaging.
With less than 90 minutes until the reveal, we're all getting excited here at TechRadar. After all this could be the ChatGPT upgrade that pushes AI even further into the future.
One last look before everything changes - again. pic.twitter.com/P4y0iUvjihAugust 7, 2025
I've been moaning about the OpenAI model names for what feels like an eternity at this point, so I may as well add one last criticism before we move into the GPT-5 era.
My colleague Lance Ulanoff has shared an image of the ChatGPT model selection page as it stands right now, and quite honestly, it might just be the most confusing naming scheme on the planet.
In just over an hour, OpenAI will announce GPT-5 alongside other models that we believe to be called GPT-5-mini, GPT-5-nano, and GPT-5-chat. Hopefully, the company decides to add these new models and replace the likes of GPT-4o, o3, o4-mini, o4-mini-high, otherwise, the list in that image is going to get even longer and even more confusing.
One. Hour. CountdownOne hour to go until OpenAI reveals GPT-5 and we enter into the next generation of ChatGPT.
OpenAI still hasn't got a livestream listing on YouTube yet but stay tuned to this liveblog and we'll update with a link as soon as we have access.
Less than 30 minutes until kick offWe're just under 30 minutes until OpenAI tells us everything about GPT-5 and the livestream for the event is now appearing on YouTube. Though it's just a countdown and a still teaser image showing "GPT-5" and "OpenAI" in front of a colorful array of gradients.
You can see the livestream embedded above, and once it starts, you can watch it right from there.
(Image credit: Future)I just checked my ChatGPT Plus account one more time before this event kicks off, and still no sign of GPT-5. Just a long list of models, and as my colleague John-Anthony already wrote here, it could use a bit of a cleanup and streamlining.
I'm particularly excited about GPT-5's rumored capability of automatically selecting the right model to handle the prompt or whatever the user has asked. That could speed things up before the AI even gets to work.
(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)While we wait for the livestream to kick off on OpenAI's YouTube channel – and in the video above – the description of the video does give us a bit more detail. We've already known, thanks to a post on X from Sam Altman, that this will be a longer livestream, and there will be many, many presenters.
Here's what the description reads: "Join Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Sebastien Bubeck, Mark Chen, Yann Dubois, Brian Fioca, Adi Ganesh, Oliver Godement, Saachi Jain, Christina Kaplan, Tina Kim, Elaine Ya Le, Felipe Millon, Michelle Pokrass, Jakub Pachocki, Max Schwarzer, Rennie Song, Ruochen Wang as they introduce and demo GPT-5."
Further, if you had any doubt that we'd be seeing GPT-5 today, this confirms it will be unveiled and demoed.
The livestream has started(Image credit: Future)OpenAI has officially kicked off the livestream with under 10 minutes to go until 1PM ET/ 6PM BST. Right now, we have some sonically soothing sounds over "OpenAI Summer Update" flashing with colors and then spinning in circles on the screen. No mention of GPT-5 though.
2 minutes to go(Image credit: Future)The visuals have changed again, and we're now counting down from three minutes until the start. The music is also getting a bit more exciting with more sounds joining in.
Sam Altman announces GPT-5(Image credit: Future)And here we go, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is walking onto a stage, and that's certainly a different setting than previous livestreams.
Altman is wasting no time, saying that they're ushering in GPT-5 and it's another important step to AGI. He believes that folks will enjoy using GPT-5 a lot more. Why? Well, the early sell here, as Altman puts it, is that chatting or talking with GPT-5 is like talking to an expert, and it can even write software on demand.
Now, we're getting a closer look at GPT-5 from more team members at OpenAI. Here's the kicker, also, OpenAI says that GPT-5 will even be available for free users.
As for what we'll see during this livestream, we'll be getting plenty of demos but are starting first with evaluations. OpenAI has just announced that GPT-5 has set a new level on several benchmarks, including SWE-Bench – it's not the full story, but it's a good tell of the performance here.
(Image credit: Future)A key area of focus with GPT-5 was improving reliability and being accurate with facts. OpenAI is also saying that it has specifically focused on reliability in health.
(Image credit: Future)GPT-5 will start rolling out to all users todayHere's some good news – OpenAI is rolling out GPT-5 to all users, with that process beginning today, including the Free tier as well as Plus and Pro subscribers. It won't be a free-for-all with GPT-5 in the free tier, but you'll be able to use it until allotments are hit. Plus and Pro subscribers will expectedly get higher rate limits.
Our first demo of GPT-5(Image credit: Future)We're now getting our first demo of GPT-5, first with the model being asked to explain the Bernoulli effect, and it responded pretty quickly. The follow-up, though, is asking GPT-5 to create a visual, and OpenAI is explaining that it will take a bit longer to respond, and in that time also suggest the best course of action.
You can also ask GPT-5 to 'think harder' or 'more precisely' in the actual prompt. Even neater, you can see GPT-5's thought process while it's answering the prompt.
(Image credit: Future)(Image credit: Future)And like that, GPT-5 completed the prompt and coded the demo, which the OpenAI team is now testing during the live-stream. Pretty, pretty fast.
For the next demo, OpenAI is pitting GPT-4o and GPT-5 against each other in writing a eulogy for its previous models. Here's a look at what GPT-4o produced.
(Image credit: Future)GPT-5 on the other hand has more of an understanding of tone and nuances. It sounds a bit more like a person with emotions wrote it ... less dry.
(Image credit: Future)Now we're in the midst of another GPT-5 demo that's centered around its ability to write code, spanning over 200 lines in just a few minutes of this demo. It actually created a site, with many visual elements and even audio ones, to help one learn French with a partner.
(Image credit: Future)Voice mode is getting an upgrade(Image credit: Future)There is a lot of focus on coding with GPT-5, but we've also seen improvements in writing thus far. The teams at OpenAI have also been focused on further improving Voice and video functionality.
With GPT-5, voice mode is coming to all users, and in this demo, OpenAI is showing that you can be specific with how you want an answer. In this case, they demonstrated ChatGPT Voice's ability to respond with just one word, summarizing Pride and Prejudice as 'relationships.'
The biggest improvment, though, is that it sounds a lot more natural than even the current version in the app.
If you've been wanting to change the color of your ChatGPT interface, OpenAI is making that possible – to a degree – for paid users. Even more impressive, though, is the ability to customize the personality of GPT-5 a bit for research use cases.
ChatGPT will be able to connect with your Google account(Image credit: Future)We're now switching gears to ChatGPT's Memory function. Pro, Plus, and Team subscribers will be able to connect ChatGPT to a Google Account for calendar access. In fact, it can connect with Gmail and Google Calendar, allowing GPT-5 to pull in your schedule and get some more context.
It can even remind you to respond to an email that you've received, read, but haven't yet responded to. This will roll out first to Pro users next week, then Plus and Team at some point in the future.
OpenAI is also focused on improving safety and deception; in this case, GPT-5 will aim to maximize helpfulness within the allowed safety constraints. This will be in contrast to how previous models, like o3, might have refused on the grounds of safety before.
GPT-5 could answer the same prompt, by explaining why it can't offer help and point you towards a third-party or even a manual. The demo shown off by OpenAI here is a prompt asking for how to work with 'pyrogen.'
(Image credit: Future)Sam Altman is now back onstage to start the discussion around ChatGPT-5 and how it handles the Health prompt. We now have two ChatGPT users on stage, including one, Carolina, who was diagnosed with three forms of cancer in one week.
After receiving an email confirming the diagnosis, this user took a screenshot and uploaded it to ChatGPT and got an understandable explanation. Altman says that Health questions are one of the most common use cases for ChatGPT as well. A takeaway from both of them is that ChatGPT can be used to help learn a bit more and 'regain some agency.'
Both of these users have used GPT-5 and note that it is a much faster, "almost a little alarmingly at first." Another key impression, though, is that GPT-5 is more of a thought partner than just delivering an answer based on the prompt. They also put the biopsy results back in, and GPT-5 asked follow-ups to get a bit more detail and deliver a more nuanced response.
Of course, ChatGPT or GPT-5 is not a medical doctor, and you should still see one for diagnosis and emergencies.
OpenAI is moving through this livestream pretty quickly. Now, Greg Brockman, President of OpenAI, is on stage, and the focus is shifting back to developers and coding. He says that GPT-5 is the best model at agentic coding tasks.
(Image credit: Future)What's new with GPT-5OpenAI's already covered a lot of ground, but let's run through what's new with GPT-5 quickly:
- Better reliability and more accurate answer with fewer hallucinations
- Improved writing skills for more precise results and the ability to switch based on context
- GPT-5 is the 'strongest coding model'
- It's OpenAI's best model for health-related questions
- GPT-5 will deliver safe completions rather than refusing a prompt
- It will ask follow-ups when needed to get more context for a better result
- The model can better adapt to context in prompts and can understand tone
- GPT-5 will handle all the heavy-lifting for deciding on the right model and will show its work
- It can connect with your Google account for access to Gmail and Google Calendar (Pro users get this first)
- Paid subscribers can customize the look of ChatGPT
- A more natural-sounding voice mode
- GPT-5 arrives for all subscribers, even the free tier, with varying levels of use
About an hour and 15 minutes later, and OpenAI's unveil of GPT-5 – dubbed the OpenAI Summer Update – has come to a close. Interestingly enough, OpenAI's chief scientist closed out the event, thanking the team, and his last line was "we'll get back to sailing."
While we weren't invited out to sea with them, we're constantly refreshing our ChatGPT pages as we await the GPT-5 rollout to hit our accounts. And whether you're on the free tier, Plus, or Pro, you can expect to see GPT-5 today and many of its new features.
- OpenAI chose Narvik for its low-cost hydropower, skipping traditional European data hubs entirely
- Stargate Norway project will use 100,000 Nvidia GPUs in a massive, renewable-powered setup
- $1 billion data center promises 520MW capacity and state-of-the-art direct-to-chip cooling systems
OpenAI’s European ambitions have taken a surprising turn with the launch of its Project Stargate in Northern Norway.
Instead of traditional tech hubs like Germany, France, or the UK, OpenAI has chosen Narvik, a remote but energy-rich location, to host what could become one of Europe’s largest AI infrastructure facilities.
The site, part of OpenAI’s “OpenAI for Countries” initiative, aims to deliver massive compute resources powered by 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs by the end of 2026.
A billion-dollar joint venture with deep industrial rootsStargate Norway is a joint venture between AI infrastructure firm Nscale and Norwegian industrial heavyweight Aker, both of whom have committed substantial funding to its development.
"Announcing Stargate Norway and delivering one of the first European AI Gigafactory to market is a strategic milestone for the region and boosts its role in the global AI landscape," said Josh Payne, CEO of Nscale.
The initial 20MW phase alone is backed by roughly $1 billion investment, with long-term plans to scale capacity to 520MW.
The site will rely entirely on renewable energy and feature advanced cooling systems, including closed-loop, direct-to-chip liquid cooling, with excess heat reportedly reused to support local low-carbon projects.
The rationale for choosing Narvik over more central locations appears rooted in cost and resource availability.
The region offers low electricity prices, abundant hydropower, and a naturally cool climate.
"Norway has a proud history of turning clean, renewable energy into industrial value, powering global industries like aluminium and fertilizer… Northern Norway, with its surplus of clean energy, available capacity, and industrial readiness, is the ideal launchpad for this transformation," said Øyvind Eriksen, President & CEO of Aker.
Narvik’s relatively underutilized transmission capacity also makes it viable for heavy compute loads, something many traditional European data hubs struggle to accommodate.
OpenAI is positioning itself as the initial consumer of the compute power, but surplus capacity is expected to be distributed across the UK, Nordic countries, and Northern Europe.
From a hardware perspective, the planned installation of 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs positions Stargate Norway as a serious contender in high-performance computing.
That kind of scale will require robust CPU support and a data center optimized not only for GPU-intensive workloads but also for fast CPU handling and storage throughput.
"Europe needs more compute to realize the full potential of AI for all Europeans — from developers and researchers to startups and scientists — and we want to help make that happen," said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI.
As data centers evolve into strategic assets, the decision to place one of the world’s largest AI compute facilities in Narvik marks a bold shift, one that could reshape the geographic balance of AI development in Europe.
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- Peacock has dropped a first trailer for The Paper
- This is our first look at Oscar Nuñez's comeback
- The anticipated The Office spin-off will be streaming from September 4
The Paper finally has a trailer and this is a huge moment for fans of The Office. We've all been nervously waiting for our first proper look at the Peacock series and honestly, it looks good.
Even though I already knew about Oscar Nuñez's comeback as his accountant character, also named Oscar, it was still exciting seeing him alongside the brand new cast, with a very funny first appearance.
We've seen some bad The Office reboots lately, like The Office Australia, but right now I'm cautiously optimistic about what The Paper will bring to the table.
Take a look for yourself below, the wait is over!
When is The Paper coming to Peacock?(Image credit: Peacock)We don't have long to wait as the first four episodes of The Paper are dropping on September 4, which is great news for fans wanting to jump right in and binge-watch.
The series will then have a weekly release schedule with two episodes arriving until the season finale on September 25.
There's a new cast here made up of Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young, Tim Key, with the only returning member being Oscar Nuñez.
Right now, we don't know about The Paper's future, but we do know this is an all-new story set in the same universe as The Office, its iconic predecessor.
This time, the documentary crew has chosen to focus on the Toledo Truth Teller newspaper, which is on the decline. A plot has teased that we should expect "all the dysfunction, awkwardness, and heart" that we saw in The Office.
Only time will tell, but this first trailer is a very good start.
You might also like- Corsair workstation 300 puts 128GB RAM into a chassis smaller than a shoebox
- Integrated graphics may hold it back from real-time rendering or GPU-accelerated production work
- 50 TOPS NPU hints at serious AI muscle inside a deceptively small package
Corsair has introduced the AI Workstation 300, a mini PC built around AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processor, positioning it as a high-performance workstation PC for professionals and AI developers.
At under $2000, it sits in a competitive space where expectations are high for both raw performance and long-term reliability.
This unit marks the 13th system to feature the Ryzen AI Max+ 365 series chip, following other systems like HP Z2 Mini G1a and GMKTEC EVO-X2, suggesting growing interest in AMD's latest integrated AI silicon.
Small form factor delivers big on memory, storage, and AI hardwareThis system comes in a 4.4L form factor, which is considered portable relative to other Strix Halo devices in the market.
It's small size packs 128GB of LPDDR5X memory, a 1TB NVMe SSD, and the Radeon 8060S integrated graphics with support for up to 96GB of dynamic VRAM.
While these specs appear promising on paper, the use of integrated graphics for a workstation PC raises questions about its capability for GPU-heavy tasks such as real-time 3D rendering or high-resolution video editing.
Developers and engineers focused on AI inference or code-based workflows may find it adequate, but creative professionals relying on discrete GPU acceleration might be more cautious.
Corsair claims the device is ready for local LLMs, AI-assisted development, and creative work, backed by a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of up to 50 TOPS of acceleration.
The included Corsair AI Software Suite improves its AI capacity, but proprietary toolkits often face adoption and compatibility hurdles outside tightly controlled workflows.
Thermal management is handled by a dual-fan cooling system, which could help maintain stable performance in a tightly packed chassis.
The 350W power supply also seems sufficient for its components, though it leaves little headroom for future expansion.
The I/O selection is more extensive than one might expect from a system of this size, including USB 4.0, an SD card reader, and 2.5G Ethernet.
This device, which comes with a two-year warranty and lifetime tech support, is currently on pre-order and will commence shipping in September 2025.
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ChatGPT's GPT-5 brain trainslpant marks a turning point in the steady march toward General Artificial Intelligence. With GPT-5 models, ChatGPT, from free to Pro, gets more personal, reliable, accurate, capable, proactive, and productive. It's even more ready than ever to engage with you on health issues.
For those who've been following along for the three years since OpenAI launched ChatGPT, these updates might not suprise you but even those most familair with ChatGPT might feel a little bit like the AI train is getting away from us, speeding to an unknown destination, and in a way, those who will be most affected by the coming AI wave are the youngest among us, specifically, your children.
Maybe you don't have kids, but I bet you know someone who does, or maybe you're a teacher dealing with children every day. Children's lives are already surrounded by AI, and it's likely some are using it at school, at home, for fun, and even as a surrogate friend.
It's time, though, you had The Talk. That's right, talk with your kids about AI and its place in the world and, especially, their lives.
I suggest you frame it this way:
AI is not aliveGPT-5 seriously levels up ChatGPT's conversational capabilities in both text and live conversations. It can seem alive and human. The algorithm and models are more complex than ever, but they do not yet match the complexity of the human brain (even if GPT-5 is a big step on the road to Artificial General Intelligence), though they can sometimes outthink you.
Children, in particular, will probably love chatting with GPT-5's more customizable voices. That's why it's so crucial they understand what they're really talking to – a cloud-based system hosted on servers possibly thousands of miles away. There's no one on the other side chatting with them.
AI is just a toolSince the dawn of the digital age, new technologies have often seemed like magic. We could do things we never did before, like create art on a screen, manage vast amounts of data in spreadsheets, and build programs that could create rich, open worlds in video games.
AI is on that path, but far more powerful. However, its capabilities should not be viewed as the end product, but rather as the tools and skills that help your children achieve their goals, whether it's hearing a funny story or completing a class project.
It's also a tool in that it only works as well as you understand how to use it. ChatGPT's success, even running GPT-5, depends largely on the quality of your prompt.
You'll want to show your kids how to create the best prompts and then follow-ups that ensure GPT-5 delivers the right response.
AI is powerful but not perfectEven though GPT-5 promises to cut down on hallucinations, that does not mean it's error-free. Explain to your children how they cannot take ChatGPT's "facts" as pure truth without double-checking them.
That might be a tough lesson for your kids (and maybe you) who will think the work is done and want to return to playtime. You need to walk them through the process of fact-checking ChatGPT (and other AIs).
AI should be treated as a work partner, not a servantGPT-5 can now, based on a prompt, code and build entire apps and websites. That's attractive to adults and children who might be looking to level up their coding skills but don't want to spend the time learning how to code.
It's worth reminding your kids that ChatGPT with GPT-5 is best used as a programming, development, and design partner. You provide the idea and then work with the AI to shape the final outcome.
Explain the concept of collaboration with your kids and why that's valuable. Otherwise, they might supply one prompt, get an OK result, and assume they now know how to code and that the result is the best they and ChatGPT can do.
The less your kids engage with the AI coding output, the less they'll understand about application development.
AI isn't your doctorThere is a strong focus in GPT-5 on health, helping you figure out what a symptom might mean or even the right questions to ask your doctors. Kids will surely try asking ChatGPT some health-related questions about bumps, bruises, aches, pains, and even odd symptoms. However, they need to understand that the best place to start addressing these concerns is with their parents, who will likely take them to the doctor.
Look, I'm sure ChatGPT, especially with the GPT-5 upgrade, can help parents understand medical test results, but as OpenAI wrote in its release on the update: "Important note: ChatGPT does not replace a medical professional. "
The message to your kids is that human professionals are no so easily replaced.
AI isn't your friendThis is one of the greatest concerns when it comes to AI, and I'm glad that GPT-5 is adding more guardrails to ensure that conversations do not go to dangerous places, and the recent upgrades added to impose pauses in challenging (perhaps overly emotional) conversations.
Even so, your kids are probably already talking to and sharing with ChatGPT and other AIs. There is an epidemic of loneliness, and some kids may see ChatGPT's live voice mode as a friend. It's your job to remind them it's not, and to insert yourself between them and AIs.
AI togetherThis leads me to my final tip, which is to do AI with your children.
Think of AI like any emerging technology, from PCs to CD-ROMs to the Internet to social media. None of these tasks should ever have been undertaken by kids alone. Parents shouldn't act as if AI is not of interest to them and, therefore, not part of their job as a parent.
If your kids are using AI, you should be sitting next to them, exploring and learning together. Be as comfortable and conversant as they will become with AI.
Follow these steps, and you and your whole family will be ready for ChatGPT, even with the introduction of the powerful GPT-5 model.
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Yet another rumor indicates that Apple is set to release a MacBook Pro with an OLED display later in 2026.
MacRumors spotted the report from Dealsite.co.kr (a Korean website), which claims that Samsung Display is going to be the only supplier of these OLED screens for an Apple MacBook that'll debut late in 2026.
We're told that Samsung's Gen 8.6 OLED assembly lines are easily able to meet the demand Apple will require for OLED panels in its MacBook Pros. And that Samsung's investment in this production capability allows for a suitably attractive manufacturing cost when it comes to that all-important bill-of-materials for the MacBook.
Obviously, we need to be careful around any rumor, but this isn't the first time we've heard Samsung's name mentioned as the maker of the MacBook's OLED screen.
In March 2025, well-known Apple leaker Mark Gurman predicted that the big change for the MacBook Pro won't be coming until late in 2026 - with a major redesign centering on a Samsung 'tandem' OLED (two panels squished together, as it were, to allow for better brightness and power efficiency), as well as making the laptop thinner.
Furthermore, Apple may trade out the 'notch' in the screen for a 'hole cut' webcam.
Analysis: Shifting timeframes, perhaps - but there's one constant(Image credit: Future)This year's MacBook Pro will supposedly be a minor upgrade - if indeed the notebook refresh even arrives in 2025, as another (very recent) piece of speculation from Gurman suggests it has been delayed to early 2026. This will be the MacBook Pro M5, and the OLED model will, in theory, come late in 2026 with the M6 chip onboard.
Of course, take all of this with a grain of salt, as that would be rather unusual in terms of launch timing for Apple - but that doesn't mean it can't happen.
In short, the rumor mill has got somewhat confused about exactly what Apple's MacBook plans are in terms of launch dates - perhaps because the company is tinkering with those plans and moving timeframes internally.
Whatever the case, one rumor has remained fairly constant, which is that the MacBook Pro is going to get OLED first, and this will happen late in 2026 - with Samsung now consistently being mentioned as the manufacturer of the screen.
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At today’s ChatGPT-5 launch event, we got to see exactly why OpenAI is so excited about the new version of ChatGPT. It’s faster, more intuitive, less likely to hallucinate, and can integrate with your Gmail in even more useful ways to know more about you.
In fact, at one point, the OpenAI presenters actually got ChatGPT-5 to write a eulogy to the previous ChatGPT-4o model as a demonstration about how much better its writing capabilities had become.
The eulogy was warranted because OpenAI isn’t restricting access to ChatGPT-5 to Plus and Pro subscribers – it is giving it out to free tier users too, so everybody now gets access to a better ChatGPT. That effectively means the end for ChatGPT-4o.
The vast majority of today’s presentation was about how much better ChatGPT-5 was at writing code than previous versions, and also how much better it was at enterprise applications, like law, health care, education, and finance.
Of course, most of us simply use ChatGPT to help us get things done in our daily lives, but there were plenty of improvements that are worth noting for everyday users, too, and they’re mostly available in the free tiers.
Let’s take a look at what you get access to without paying.
As with GPT‑4o, the difference between free and paid access to GPT‑5 is usage volume. At some point on the free tier, your access to GPT-5 will reach the usage limit, and then you’ll be kicked back to GPT-5 mini.
Plus subscribers will get significantly higher usage volume before that happens. That means you’ll get access to the improved writing ability in GPT-5. You’ll find that its prose has a lot more rhythm and beat to it than the prose in GPT-4o did.
2. ChatGPT Voice(Image credit: Future)With the free tier, you still only get limited access to ChatGPT-5’s voice mode (along with file uploads, image creation, and data analysis), but you should get more access per day now than you did before.
What used to be called 'Advanced voice mode' is now called 'ChatGPT voice'. OpenAI says that “Standard Voice Mode retires on September 9, 2025, unifying all users on ChatGPT Voice”.
ChatGPT Voice is better than before, with more natural-sounding conversations. Hit the voice button on the mobile app for ChatGPT to give it a go right now.
3. New highlight colorsYou’ve always been able to change the theme of ChatGPT from light to dark to System, but now you can add accent colors to your chats in the Settings. These apply to elements in ChatGPT-5 like conversation bubbles and highlighted text.
This is the first time color has been used in the ChatGPT interface, and it takes some getting used to, but I think this is a feature you’ll come to enjoy.
What you don’t getChatGPT-5 has better memory, reduces hallucinations, and as a free user, you’ll get all that too. So what don’t you get?
Well, as before, access to the Sora AI video generator is restricted to Plus and Pro users, as is ChatGPT Agent. And in terms of new models, the super-powerful ChatGPT-5 Pro is only available to Pro users.
But I’m still suck on GPT-4o?If you’re frantically hitting the refresh button on your ChatGPT page waiting for access to GPT-5 then you’re not alone right now, but it is on the way.
A message on the OpenAI website says: “We are gradually rolling out GPT-5 to ensure stability during launch. Some users may not yet see GPT-5 in their account as we increase availability in stages.”
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AMD’s Threadripper PRO 9000WX series has delivered a blow that Intel’s Xeon workstation CPUs may not recover from.
Benchmarks from Puget Systems covering real-world content creation applications found the new Threadripper chips outperformed Intel’s Xeon W-3500 series across nearly every category, often by wide margins which left little room for excuses or rebuttal.
At the top of AMD’s stack is the 96-core 9995WX, priced at $11,700, delivering a Cinebench 2024 multi-core score of 7,508, 27% ahead of the previous-gen 7995WX and a staggering 125% faster than Intel’s most powerful Xeon tested.
Threadripper pulls ahead?Even AMD’s mid-range 9975WX with 32 cores ($4,100) routinely beat Intel’s 60-core w9-3595X in workloads like Blender, DaVinci Resolve, and Unreal Engine compiling.
Intel’s best simply couldn’t keep up, either in raw throughput or clock speed, and often looked inefficient by comparison.
In Photoshop, where high single-core speed matters, AMD's 16-core 9955WX came out on top with an overall score of 11,384 - whereas Intel's Xeon w5-3535X managed only 6,801, barely 60% of AMD’s best showing.
Even the weakest Threadripper 9000 chip tested outperformed every Intel CPU across the board in Adobe’s suite of creative tools, including Premiere Pro and After Effects.
In After Effects 3D workloads, the 9955WX again dominated with a 9% lead over the 9995WX and a 40% advantage over Intel’s top performer.
DaVinci Resolve further emphasized Intel’s problem: the 9975WX scored 180 in Intraframe processing, a 10% improvement over AMD’s previous generation, while Xeons lagged by more than 20%.
AI-related benchmarks using LLaMA.cpp showed consistent scaling on AMD, with the 9995WX processing 16% more tokens per second than its predecessor.
Intel’s Xeon parts trailed even lower-tier Threadripper models here, further underlining their inefficiency in modern workloads.
Workstation tasks like compiling in Visual Studio or shader building in Unreal Engine showed predictable trends.
The 9995WX and 9985WX completed these tasks dramatically faster, with the former finishing Unreal Engine compilation in 68% of the time required by the previous generation.
Intel’s Xeons simply couldn’t compete; even their 60-core chip was outpaced by AMD’s 32-core offering.
While AMD's new processors come with a 10–20% price increase over the 7000WX line, the performance uplift and DDR5-6400 support help justify it.
In nearly every test, AMD’s dominance was clear and systematic, leaving Intel’s Xeon series looking outdated and overpriced.
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OpenAI’s much‑anticipated livestream reveal of GPT‑5 crammed a lot into about an hour and a half of announcements and demonstrations. CEO Sam Altman didn't show any of the fear he claimed to feel about the new AI model, just a lot of pride at what he and his team had accomplished.
Much of the presentation showed off GPT-5's technical milestones and how they translate into powerful new and upgraded AI features for users. Altman also had some lighter fare to unveil for ChatGPT, offering more customization options and ways for users to link their existing online footprint to ChatGPT.
Here are the five most notable pieces to emerge from GPT-5's debut.
GPT-5 arrives(Image credit: OpenAI)GPT-5 is the next iteration of OpenAI's models, bigger and more powerful, but not dissimilar in its basic form. Even so, GPT-5 is big and complex enough to reach a new level in how it seems to reason.
Essentially, you no longer have to spoon-feed it context or restate complex prompts three times, or at least not nearly as often. Multifaceted questions like how changing interest rates might affect Gen Z homeownership trends in mixed markets might take several prompts refined multiple times to provide the answers you seek with earlier ChatGPT models, but GPT‑5 can unpack the whole thing.
Based on the demonstrations, GPT‑5 seems to parse each part separately and stitch it together. And it flags when there's a gap in its knowledge, which is far better than confidently hallucinating. It applies that way of thinking to how it interacts with users, too. While obviously not 'thinking', it does appear to read between the lines well enough to reflect a user's mood and even adjust its response to an expressed emotion.
The model is supposed to be particularly good with math and coding software. Good enough to handle the increasingly popular pursuit of 'vibe coding,' where you simply describe a feeling or a mood of a piece of software, and the AI produces the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to match your design vision.
GPT-5 sizes(Image credit: OpenAI)GPT-5 comes in many sizes in addition to the standard version. There's also the smaller gpt-5-mini, and an even leaner gpt-5-nano, which lives solely in the API. The big news is that free ChatGPT users now get access to both GPT-5 and mini, while ChatGPT Plus subscribers enjoy higher usage limits across the board.
If you’re a Pro user paying $200 a month, you’ll now get unlimited GPT-5 access, along with access to the more powerful gpt-5-pro model and gpt-5-thinking. These both take longer to provide answers, but come back with deeper, more thoughtful responses.
There is no need to pick and choose yourself, either, though. ChatGPT now picks the right model automatically based on what you're asking and what plan you’re on.
ChatGPT custom personalities and colorsChatGPT has a default, pleasantly bland personality, but GPT‑5 is advanced enough to offer more variety in the tone and style of the AI chatbot. If you don't want the usual neutral mode, you can choose “Cynic” for sarcasm with your answer, “Listener” if you’re venting and just need it to echo back understanding, "Nerd" for a side of geeky trivia, and "Robot" for the purely mechanical response.
These personalities don’t undercut the answers you get, but they do flavor the response. Therefore, you might get dry wit with productivity tips from the “Cynic” tone or gentle encouragement in your goals from “Listener.”
Additionally, the chatbot's appearance can now be altered with the new color themes. If you're a paid subscriber, you'll soon be able to adjust the look of ChatGPT instead of switching between the usual black or white.
Voice Mode(Image credit: Future)ChatGPT's Voice Mode is getting an audio glow-up of its own. OpenAI is rolling out a much-improved version that not only works with custom GPTs but also adapts its tone and speech style based on your instructions and overall vibe.
You can ask it to be snappier, slower, warmer, or whatever else you want. For ChatGPT Plus users, voice responses are now nearly unlimited. Free users still get access, too, with a few hours a day to chat hands-free.
To streamline things, the old Standard Voice Mode is being phased out entirely within 30 days. After that, everyone will be on the same upgraded experience.
Google connections for ChatGPT(Image credit: Future)Next week, ChatGPT Pro users will be able to hook up their Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts directly to ChatGPT. That means no more switching tabs to check if you're free next Tuesday or digging through threads to find that one email you definitely forgot to reply to.
Once connected, ChatGPT will pull in what it needs to help respond to your queries. OpenAI assured users that it will only pull in the minimum needed and only when it’s helpful.
You don’t need to say “check my calendar” or “pull that contact.” The AI will do so based on whether you request something that requires it, like scheduling a meeting. It will pick a time that works for you and write the email on your behalf. Other subscription tiers are scheduled to get access to the connections in the near future, so this won't be limited to Pro forever.
All of these upgrades leveraging GPT-5 point to OpenAI's bigger plans to make its AI models an intimate part of your life, not just a tool you occasionally turn to and feel annoyed about having to carefully parse answers. Smarter reasoning means less cleanup for the user. Vibe coding shifts AI from merely aping code to interpreting your intended use with software. The personalities and colors make the AI feel like it's more unique to you, not just a one-size-fits-all tool, especially with the more realistic voice and access to your email account and calendar
GPT‑5 mimics awareness better than any of its predecessors. That means it could blend into our routines and become as second nature to use as our smartphones. Or at least, that's what OpenAI and its investors likely hope to see happen.
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- Hard drives sold as new contained decade-old internals from previously used Seagate and Western Digital units
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A recent case involving UnionSine-branded external hard drives has raised serious questions about the integrity of some products sold through Amazon’s marketplace.
An investigation by data recovery company Attingo uncovered supposedly "new" hard drives contained 2.5" HDDs from major brands like Seagate and Western Digital manufactured over a decade ago.
These findings contradict the product labelling, which lists a manufacturing date from spring 2025.
Used drives masquerading as newThe drives were sold under the identifier HD2510 during Amazon’s Tech Week promotional period, and were assumed by buyers to be new portable HDDs suitable for regular backup and storage use.
Attingo’s teardown of the drives revealed not just their age, but also signs of previous use, with the evidence extending beyond the hardware identifiers.
The company said some of the HDDs still contained fragments of user data, with only the beginning of the data fields zeroed out.
This practice, commonly used to simulate full data erasure, failed to eliminate all traces of prior use.
One recovered XML file even contained a timestamp from May 2024, pointing to very recent activity inconsistent with a supposedly unused device.
Some of the data traces were linked to TV recording systems, suggesting that the drives had once been in operational environments.
Attingo also noted inconsistencies in SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) data, which is used by operating systems to assess hard drive health.
Although the displayed operating hours suggested zero usage, other key metrics, such as the read error rate, told a different story.
This kind of manipulation has been seen before in fraud cases involving repurposed HDDs, especially those sold through gray market channels.
The presence of numerous read errors and mechanical anomalies conflicted with the SMART status, indicating a fresh drive.
The fact that this issue emerged from a well-known retail platform, rather than a niche marketplace or obscure online store, is of particular concern.
Attingo CEO Markus Häfele expressed alarm at the findings, saying the situation was not only misleading to consumers but also potentially dangerous from a data protection standpoint.
"It's unfortunately well known that used hardware is occasionally declared as new on platforms like eBay or in direct imports from Asian retailers – but the fact that this is happening systematically as part of a widely advertised Amazon campaign is truly scandalous," Häfele said.
Though the incident has sparked renewed concern about the reliability of NAS HDDs and external storage devices offered through third-party sellers online, Amazon has yet to respond to the allegations.
Via Computerbase
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