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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- As the paint on GPT-5 dries, OpenAI is already working on GPT-6.
- The model’s biggest differentiator seems to be deeper personalization.
- OpenAI is keeping an increasingly brisk pace on the path toward AGI.
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At the beginning of August, OpenAI launched its much-anticipated GPT-5 family of models. While the launch was somewhat rocky, the company isn’t letting that slow down its momentum: it is already teasing GPT-6, its next generation of models.
Also: Here are all the GPT-5 updates OpenAI has rolled out since launch
Last week, when chatting with reporters, OpenAI’s Sam Altman shed some light on GPT-6, sharing that it is not only already in the works but that the launch will come sooner than the wait between GPT-4 and GPT-5, according to a CNBC report. Naturally, Altman also teased some upcoming features that would make GPT-6 a superior model from its predecessors.
For a roundup of everything we know, take a look below.
What do we know about the model?
According to the CNBC report, the new model will function more personally by responding to users and adapting to them. It will do so through an enhanced version of its Memory feature, which would remember a person’s specific preferences to better cater to those needs.
Also: GPT-5 is friendlier now – but not everyone likes it. Here’s why
“People want memory,” Altman said to the reporters. “People want product features that require us to be able to understand them.”
The version of the Memory feature currently available in ChatGPT was updated in April to reference all of a user’s past conversations to better inform future responses (to turn it on, toggle the option accessible in Settings under the Personalization tab). Despite saying the updated memory feature was his favorite launch of the past year, Altman added concerns about privacy, as the temporary memory is not encrypted. He said future encryption could be a possibility, according to the report.
Beyond personalization, Altman did share that future versions of ChatGPT will have to comply with a recent executive order from the Trump administration that prevents “woke AI,” which the order described as models built with “ideological biases or social agendas.” He also shared that the company is working with psychologists to help develop future experiences for users.
When will it be released?
While no timeline has been shared yet, Altman did say that the gap between GPT-5 and GPT-6 would be smaller than the one that followed GPT-4, which gives us a ballpark idea of when it will launch, if you take a look at the prior timeline.
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When ChatGPT became popular in November 2022, it was running on GPT-3.5. Shortly after, OpenAI released GPT-4 in March 2023. OpenAI introduced GPT-4o — a significant update that improved its capabilities broadly and notably introduced multimodality — a year later, in March 2024, but GPT-5 was not released until August 2025. This makes the time between GPT-4 and GPT-5 over two years, so at least you know it will be sooner than then.
Even that very loose timeline is worth taking with a grain of salt, as product launch timelines constantly get pushed back. For example, in February, Altman initially shared a roadmap on X for new models, and in the comments, said it would be a matter of “weeks/months” before GPT-5 was launched. However, in April, Altman said there had been a change of plans, pivoting to a release of o3 and o4-mini and pushing GPT-5 back a couple of months, with the model ultimately launching in August.
The bigger picture
Ultimately, the fast pace at which OpenAI is moving aligns well with the company’s ultimate goal of achieving AGI. Although most estimates still place AGI far away, OpenAI’s ambitious goal does encourage them to constantly innovate, research, and make incremental upgrades. Releasing so many models has fed the company’s upward trajectory of momentum.
Also: Claude wins high praise from a Supreme Court justice – is AI’s legal losing streak over?
The Information recently reported that OpenAI reached $12 billion in revenue, double the already staggeringly high $5.5 billion reported in December 2024 (though the company is still not profitable). The report also noted that OpenAI has around 700 million active users for its ChatGPT products, including enterprise and business customers.
OpenAI has been riding this wave for some time now, with a previous report from The Information showing that, in the first three months of 2025, the company saw a 30% increase in revenue. This growth is uncharacteristic of the larger industry, because people are overwhelmed by the sheer number of offerings on the market.
