ChatGPT Marks Three Years with GPT-5 and New Features

ChatGPT at Three: The World Still Struggles to Make Sense of Its Impact

As OpenAI’s ChatGPT marks its third anniversary, the world continues to grapple with its transformative—and often unpredictable—impact on work, education, and daily life. Despite rapid technological advances and widespread adoption, experts, policymakers, and users alike remain divided on how to fully understand, regulate, and harness the power of generative AI. The platform’s latest updates, including the rollout of GPT-5, new parental controls, and the imminent introduction of ads, signal a new phase in its evolution—one that is both promising and fraught with challenges.

The Evolution of ChatGPT: From Novelty to Necessity

Since its launch in November 2022, ChatGPT has grown from a curiosity to a global phenomenon. Today, it boasts an estimated 800 million weekly users, up from just 100 million in late 2023 and 300 million in 2024. The platform is now deeply embedded in workflows across industries, from customer service and content creation to coding and education. According to METR research, the length of tasks AI agents can complete with 50% reliability has been doubling every seven months since 2019, with signs of acceleration in 2024 and 2025.

Major Updates and New Features

OpenAI has continued to refine ChatGPT, with several significant updates in late 2025:

GPT-5 Rollout: The latest flagship model, GPT-5, is now the default for all logged-in users across web, mobile, and desktop. It brings improved accuracy, reduced hallucinations, and better support for complex tasks. GPT-5 Instant has also been updated to better recognize and respond to signs of mental and emotional distress, with guidance from mental health experts.
Parental Controls: OpenAI has introduced global parental controls, allowing families to set boundaries on how ChatGPT is used at home. This feature is now available on the web, with mobile support coming soon.
Search Improvements: ChatGPT’s search capabilities have been enhanced for greater factuality, shopping intent detection, and answer formatting, making results more reliable and user-friendly.
Ads and Monetization: OpenAI is preparing to introduce ads within ChatGPT, a move that could redefine the platform’s business model. Beta versions of the Android app now include references to “ads feature,” “bazaar content,” and “search ads carousel,” suggesting a shift toward a more commercialized experience.

The Impact on Work and Society

ChatGPT’s third year has seen it rewrite the rules of work. Many organizations now rely on AI for routine tasks, freeing up human workers for more strategic roles. However, this shift has also raised concerns about job displacement, data privacy, and the quality of AI-generated content. The platform’s ability to generate human-like text has led to both innovation and ethical dilemmas, particularly in areas like journalism, academia, and creative industries.

Why ChatGPT Still Has a Winning Edge

Despite competition from Google’s AI and other platforms, ChatGPT maintains a significant edge. Its user base, feature set, and continuous improvements have solidified its position as the leading generative AI tool. The upcoming ad rollout could further differentiate it from competitors, potentially creating a new revenue stream while also raising questions about user experience and data usage.

The Road Ahead

As ChatGPT enters its fourth year, the world is still trying to make sense of its impact. The platform’s rapid evolution, combined with its growing influence on society, underscores the need for thoughtful regulation, ethical guidelines, and ongoing research. The introduction of ads and advanced parental controls highlights OpenAI’s efforts to balance innovation with responsibility, but the journey is far from over.

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This article provides a comprehensive overview of ChatGPT’s third year, highlighting its major updates, societal impact, and future challenges. The included images offer visual context, enhancing the reader’s understanding of the platform’s evolution and current state.