Sam Altman says GPT‑5 rollout was botched — and drops a wild Chrome buyout idea

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Last week, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and other top executives had dinner with several reporters at a restaurant in San Francisco, which specializes in Mediterranean cuisine (as reported by The Verge). During the dinner, they talked extensively about OpenAI’s future plans, with a significant portion being dedicated to the release of GPT-5. However, their discussions also covered a range of other topics.

In the build-up to GPT-5’s release, there was a great deal of excitement and speculation about its potential improvements for ChatGPT. Unfortunately, the launch didn’t quite meet the lofty expectations set. Many users criticized OpenAI for negatively impacting the ChatGPT user experience, claiming it was plagued with issues such as glitches and bugs.

It’s been suggested that approximately two years ago, Bill Gates, a co-founder of Microsoft, forecasted that OpenAI’s GPT technology had reached its peak and that GPT-5 would not surpass GPT-4 in performance. Recent developments seem to indicate that Gates’ prediction might have been surprisingly accurate.

Some users have expressed that the GPT-5 model seems to have transformed ChatGPT into a “robot with a corporate mindset,” as if it had forgotten our friendly relationship from just two days ago. These users assert that ChatGPT has become less endearing, and they prefer the interaction with GPT-4o over GPT-5.

Sam Altman suggested that some users were relying too heavily on ChatGPT for emotional support, as it seemed many hadn’t experienced such care from others in the past. The executive expressed that this situation was deeply moving.

After facing criticism from users about the discontinuation of earlier models like GPT-5’s predecessors, OpenAI opted to reintroduce a newer model called GPT-4o. However, it’s now only accessible through their $20/month ChatGPT Plus subscription service.

It appears there were some issues during our product launch, but on the positive side, our API traffic has more than doubled within 48 hours and is still growing. Unfortunately, we’re running out of GPUs. The user base for ChatGPT keeps breaking records with a new high of daily users. Many people seem to appreciate the model switcher feature as well. I think this experience will teach us a valuable lesson about what it entails to update a product for hundreds of millions of users in just one day.

OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman

Introducing GPT-4o as a feature accessible only for $20/month subscribers might be OpenAI’s humorous method to boost its income via premium subscription services, given the financial difficulties they have been experiencing recently, with rumors suggesting potential bankruptcy looming.

The company behind ChatGPT is facing significant pressure from investors to transition into a profitable business model, otherwise they may face loss of funding, potential external influence, and the threat of hostile acquisitions.

Sam Altman says “way under 1 percent” of people are having unhealthy relationships with ChatGPT

It appears that GPT-5 is an energy-intensive model, as a recent study estimates its daily electricity consumption equates to the needs of approximately 1.5 million American households. Furthermore, the model’s computational demands are so high that Sam Altman commented, “We’ve run out of GPUs.

While OpenAI may be facing challenges, it’s important to note that they are not giving up. On the contrary, they plan to intensify their efforts significantly. As Sam Altman has announced, the AI company is preparing to invest massive amounts of money – potentially trillions of dollars – into building data centers in the near future.

It’s worth noting that Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, recently disclosed that less than one percent of ChatGPT users exhibit unhealthy patterns in their interaction with the tool. This problem is being acknowledged and actively discussed by the team, who are regularly holding meetings to brainstorm solutions for addressing this issue.

According to the executive:

There are individuals who consider ChatGPT as if they have a personal connection, a group we’ve been mindful of and considering. On the other hand, there are hundreds of millions of people who don’t engage in a parasocial relationship with ChatGPT but have grown accustomed to its specific responses, validations, and supportive nature.

During the opportunity, the executive didn’t miss the chance to poke fun at Elon Musk’s Grok AI chatbot, which could have added more fuel to their ongoing rivalry.

Certainly, some companies might venture into creating Japanese anime-style sex robots, believing there’s a market for it. However, we’re not planning to follow suit. Our focus remains on developing a beneficial app that empowers users with flexibility in their usage. While we aim to cater to diverse needs, we are committed to ensuring that sensitive individuals are not inadvertently exploited.

OpenAI x Jony Ive are going to ship “a beautiful device”

It’s well-known that the renowned designer Jony Ive, who used to work at Apple, has recently joined OpenAI with the aim of enhancing their hardware sector. Although progress has been minimal so far, this collaboration could potentially bring about a significant shakeup in technology similar to what happened when the iPhone was introduced in 2007.

According to Sam Altman:

Here’s an exciting update: We’re about to release a device that’s truly stunning. I must emphasize, though, that if you choose to cover it with a case, well, I hope you enjoy my occasional visits! It’s going to take some time, but trust me, the end result will more than make up for it. I find it simply incredible. A new computing paradigm doesn’t come along often, perhaps only twice in the last half century. So, brace yourself for a delightful surprise. Trust that it will be worth the wait!

OpenAI potentially buying Google Chrome and developing an AI-powered social media app

Recently, OpenAI brought on Fidji Simo to lead and manage their applications department. Notably, this executive hinted at future app releases beyond ChatGPT, and expressed a desire to create an AI-driven social media platform capable of challenging the dominance of platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

Absolutely, you can count on us for that. I’m curious if we could potentially develop a more engaging type of social interaction using artificial intelligence.

OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman

Altman hinted that our company might consider acquiring Google Chrome, saying, ‘If we can make a good deal out of it, let’s give it a thought.'” Last year, our firm was labeled an antitrust monopoly in the search market, giving us an upper hand over competing businesses.

OpenAI prefers Google search over Bing due to “significant quality issues”

As a devoted technology enthusiast, I’ve been keeping an eye on the recent developments involving Google. It seems that the court has labeled Google as having a monopoly in the open-web digital ad markets, which hasn’t sat well with the Justice Department. In response, they’ve requested the judge to mandate Google to part ways with its Chrome browser as a remedy. We’re eagerly waiting for the court’s verdict on this matter, which is expected by the end of this month.

If the court orders Google to sell Chrome due to antitrust concerns, it might significantly impact their business, as Chrome plays a crucial role as a distribution platform within their search-related operations.

Sam Altman stated, “Nowadays, I no longer rely on Google. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I conducted a search on Google.

On previous occasions, OpenAI has shown an interest in partnering with Google Chrome. During the US v. Google antitrust case in April, ChatGPT’s representative, Nick Turley, disclosed that attempts were made for a partnership between the two parties whereby ChatGPT could utilize Google search last year.

It’s worth noting that, given their existing multibillion-dollar partnership, it might seem straightforward for OpenAI to collaborate with Microsoft on Bing’s search services. However, an executive disclosed that there have been notable quality problems between the two companies.

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2025-08-23 16:11