From Novelty to Necessity: Is ChatGPT-5 A Revolution or Distraction?

The disclosure of the latest version of OpenAI’s conversational AI, ChatGPT-5, has sparked an intense debate worldwide. With exceptional advancements in AI, ChatGPT-5 also promises to enhance reasoning abilities, multimodal capabilities, and real-time information processing of human faces. Yet, as we begin to embrace this cutting-edge technology in our everyday lives, a question arises: Is it a game-changing revolution, or just a shiny new distraction that will make us suffer soon?

In the scenario of education, ChatGPT-5 is positioned as a powerful tool with the potential to dramatically alter the way of learning and interacting with knowledge. A peer-reviewed research published in “Nature” suggested that AI-driven tools like this can improve learning outcomes in higher education as they offer easier and interactive knowledge. For example, GPT-5’s ability to deal with complex tasks, which include coding, problem-solving, has been shown to help students engage with difficult thinking tasks more effectively than the traditional methods. Moreover, with the emergence of multifaceted capabilities, it can process and generate both text and images, and educators are exploring its potential for teaching visual reasoning and complex concepts more effectively. Moreover, GPT-5’s ability to handle real-time feedback on assignments is transforming online education platforms by offering students more personalized support. But this evolution not only complements conventional teaching but also comes with disadvantages as well. It is challenging the thinking of the students, as they are interested in using more AI rather than using their own brains. MIT’s recent study shows that 83.3% can't recall a single sentence they had written one minute earlier. This can be a threat to the development of cognitive abilities.

Outwith education, ChatGPT-5 is already finding its place in a wide range of professional fields, from software development to research services. Particularly, Software developers have reported amazing improvements in productivity because of it.  GPT-5's latest language processing can assist them with code snippets suggestions, bug detection, and even offering solutions to complex programming challenges. This capability is useful for industries that demand high-velocity software development. Also, its ability to generate functional paradigms and documentation has transformed the way products and services are designed and delivered. In the legal and financial sectors, GPT-5’s ability to analyze massive datasets has enabled professionals to make faster, data-driven decisions. Legal professionals have found this model particularly useful for document review, contract analysis, and research.

Despite of its promises, the rise of ChatGPT-5 also brings significant ethical concerns. A study published in “The Journal of Artificial Intelligence Ethics” found that large language models, including GPT-5, can preserve harmful stereotypes or produce biased responses based on the data. Because they are trained and can’t develop themselves or think on their own. Although OpenAI has worked broadly for reducing harmful outputs but the challenge remains. Without checks, AI models can further establish discriminatory practices in some sectors. Recently, AI-driven therapy chatbots have been tested in various therapeutic environments. A few days ago, Adam Raine, a 16-year-old boy from California, was inspired by ChatGPT to take his life. Experts such as Dr. Mary K. O’Neil, a psychologist, warned about the limitations of AI in addressing deep emotional or psychological issues. It lacks the capacity for genuine empathy or understanding of the human emotional experience as well. This may lead to the mishandling of complex mental and emotional health cases. 

Experts state that AI is not designed for the human connections, and because of that, its ability to stimulate emotions can create a false sense of companionship. The National Health Service (NHS) of the UK has even raised a warning against counting on AI for mental health counseling. They state that though AI can provide basic support, it should never be replaced with professional therapy.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT-5 creates a remarkable leap forward in AI technology. It comes with the promise of revolutionizing the education system, enhancing professional productivity, and reshaping the interactions of humans and AI. Along with so many advantages, it also brings ethical concerns. This can’t be ignored. Whether ChatGPT-5 will be a revolutionary tool or a temporary distraction with greater disadvantages depends on how we choose to manage its integration in our society. By engaging with thoughtful discussions, implementing proper safeguards, we can tackle the full potential of GPT-5 while mitigating its drawbacks.


Afifa Shahid is an undergrad
student of Human Resource Management and Economics 
at BRAC University, Dhaka.