Sam Altman on GPT-5, 4o, and the 'Chart Crime' - Latest Updates

OpenAI Addresses GPT-5 Rollout Issues and User Feedback

A recent ask-me-anything (AMA) session on Reddit, featuring OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and members of the GPT-5 development team, addressed concerns and questions regarding the new model’s launch and the potential reinstatement of the previous GPT-4o model.

Addressing Initial Performance Concerns

Users participating in the r/ChatGPT subreddit voiced complaints that GPT-5 initially appeared to perform less effectively than GPT-4o. Altman explained that this perceived decrease in performance stemmed from a malfunction in the model’s new real-time router.

This router is designed to intelligently select the most appropriate model for each prompt, balancing speed with the need for thorough reasoning. The initial rollout experienced a service interruption, causing the router to fail and resulting in suboptimal performance from GPT-5.

Improvements and Transparency

Altman assured users that GPT-5’s capabilities would be fully realized as the router was repaired. He stated, “GPT-5 will seem smarter starting today.”

Furthermore, OpenAI intends to refine the decision-making process of the router and increase transparency regarding which model is responding to specific queries. These interventions aim to ensure users consistently receive responses from the most suitable model.

Potential Return of GPT-4o

Responding to significant demand from Plus subscribers, Altman indicated a willingness to explore the possibility of reinstating access to GPT-4o. “We are looking into letting Plus users to continue to use 4o,” he confirmed, adding that they are currently gathering data to assess the trade-offs involved.

Increased Rate Limits for Plus Users

To facilitate exploration and adoption of the new model, OpenAI will be doubling rate limits for Plus subscribers. This adjustment will allow users to experiment with GPT-5 and integrate it into their workflows without concerns about prompt limitations.

The “Chart Crime” Incident

The presentation of GPT-5 was also marked by a widely discussed error involving a misleading chart. The chart displayed a lower benchmark score with a disproportionately tall bar, prompting numerous jokes about a “chart crime.”

While Altman initially refrained from commenting on the chart during the AMA, he later acknowledged it as a “mega chart screwup” on X (formerly Twitter). It was noted that the charts featured in the accompanying blog post were accurate.

GPT-5’s Data Visualization Capabilities

The incident sparked commentary regarding GPT-5’s ability to accurately represent data visually. Reviewer Simon Willison highlighted that converting data into a table represented a notable weakness of the model.

Commitment to Improvement

Altman concluded the AMA by reaffirming OpenAI’s commitment to stability and responsiveness to user feedback. He pledged continued efforts to address identified issues and enhance the overall user experience with GPT-5.