ChatGPT-5 is delayed — but these 5 features could make the wait worth it

GPT-5 seems to keep getting further and further away. At one point, we were expecting it in the summer. Then it was July, and then the start of August. Now, a few days into August, still no GPT-5.

Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve got long to wait. Reviewers are testing GPT-5 now, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has made repeated claims about his use of it and how strong its performance has been.

In fact, all signs still suggest an August release. But, OpenAI has a lot going on right now, and it's no stranger to delays, often pushing products and models back months at a time.

On August 2, Altman posted on X saying: “We have a ton of stuff to launch over the next couple of months — new models, products, features, and more. Please bear with us through some probable hiccups and capacity crunches.”

GPT-5 is likely to be the company's biggest launch ever, and therefore one the company wants to get right. But even if it is delayed, GPT-5 will be worth waiting for, launching with a bunch of cool new features.

The five features we’re most excited for in GPT-5

Sora 2

A recent leak suggested that, with GPT-5, we could finally see the launch of Sora 2. This would be the second iteration of OpenAI’s video creation tool.

The first Sora model had a fairly short life. It appeared, made headlines, and was quickly beaten by the competition. Since then, OpenAI seems to have put it on the back burner.

Improved memory

With any major update to an AI model, one of the first and most noticeable changes is in its memory.

With GPT-5, the model (if you let it) is likely to better remember key details about you and past conversations. This could include your personality type, preferences, and opinions on key topics.

A lot of people will have love-hate relationships with this kind of update. The likes of Claude and Le Chat have steered clear of giving their AI models too much memory. OpenAI on the other hand has lent into it.

Better coding

One of the big pushes right now in the world of AI models is for improved coding abilities. Chatbots are able to code entire apps, build databases and solve coding problems with surprising ease.

However, they can keep getting better and GPT-5 will be a change for OpenAI to take the spot as the best coding chatbot.

Agentic

ChatGPT recently launched its agent tool, letting ChatGPT make actions on your behalf. This could be booking restaurant tables, finding the latest deals on laptops and buying one or simply checking your calendar.

With GPT-5, we’ll likely see improvements to this tool, letting you complete more complicated actions.

More conversational

Chatbots, while more natural-sounding than ever, continue to talk like robots. With GPT-5 and other competitors big changes, we’re seeing more natural versions of chatbots pop up.

With this latest version, we could see ChatGPT take on different voices and personalities for different situations, or simply speak in a more natural, conversational way when prompting.

More from Tom's Guide

• Character.AI just launched an AI-powered social feed — and it’s like TikTok meets ChatGPT
• Sam Altman just teased GPT-5 with one question — and the answer says it all
• OpenAI just pulled a controversial ChatGPT feature — what you need to know