ChatGPT-5 users are not impressed — here's why it 'feels like a downgrade'

OpenAI had the internet's attention when it announced GPT-5. Some users have taken to social platforms like Reddit to complain that the new model isn't where it should be — and you can't even go back to the old ones if you don't like the latest release.

When you go to ChatGPT as a Plus user, you'll see a message that says, "ChatGPT now has our smartest, fastest, most useful model yet, with thinking built in — so you get the best answer, every time."

Is that really the case? If the internet is to be believed, maybe not so much.

The internet is interneting

GPT5 is horrible from r/ChatGPT

There's actually a thread on Reddit titled "GPT-5 is horrible" with 3,200 upvotes and 1,400 comments. In the head, the user said, "Short replies that are insufficient, more obnoxious ai stylized talking, less 'personality' and way less prompts allowed with plus users hitting limits in an hour… and we don’t have the option to just use other models."

Perhaps a new model that isn't as good as the older ones would be more acceptable if you could still access 4o and the rest. But you can't. For ChatGPT Plus users, who are now limited to 200 messages per week in GPT-5, this is a significant issue.

That's some scathing feedback for Sam Altman and company, especially after the presentation hyped the release as a true game-changer.

Another user in the comments section agreed: "Agreed. Answers are shorter and, so far, not any better than previous models. Combine that with more restrictive usage, and it feels like a downgrade branded as the new hotness."

Reddit user RunYouWolves said, "It's like my chatGPT suffered a severe brain injury and forgot how to read. It is atrocious now," which is harsh, but it does describe some of the issues with the way the new model delivers answers.

If you're in the camp that's unhappy about GPT-5, there are plenty of ChatGPT alternatives making waves with their own AI models. Personally, I like Google Gemini for parts of my workflow, but there are options, which is always a good thing.

For every hater, someone loves GPT-5

There are reasons to be upset about ChatGPT-5, as outlined by the Reddit users above. But it's easy to get caught up in the idea that Reddit's opinions represent the entire internet. Many ChatGPT power users appreciate the capabilities of GPT-5 and what it has to offer.

Just read out the detailed breakdown on the differences between GPT-5 and GPT-4 and you'll get an idea of how much new stuff is there. It's a far more capable version overall, despite some of the flaws. Our AI editor Alex Hughes said, "GPT-5 is clearly a major upgrade to GPT-4," and I think even the most disgruntled users would agree.

One user in the negative Reddit thread said, "Ask any gamer, nothing works on patch day." Perhaps this is just a launch issue, and GPT-5 will improve its tone and responsiveness to users over time. Or maybe that's how it's meant to be. Only time will tell.

With all that said, I also think it's essential that OpenAI considers the feedback. Perhaps the company can increase the limits or bring back 4o for Plus users. Whether it will do any of these to make the angry users happy remains to be seen, but for now, the internet is clearly split on what GPT-5 brings to the table.

More from Tom's Guide

• I’m a ChatGPT power user — these are the ChatGPT-5 upgrades that I plan on using the most
• ChatGPT-5 features — here's the 5 upgrades I would try first
• ChatGPT-5 is here — 7 biggest upgrades you need to know