Chat GPT-5: Our First Impressions
- Thiago F.
- Aug 11
- 3 min read
Chat GPT-5: Our First Impressions
There’s a not so quiet revolution underway.
It didn’t come with a flashy keynote or dramatic product launch, but you may have noticed it in the flurry of angry comments across social media that inevitably happen whenever a big update is made to a beloved product.
I’ve been exploring GPT-5, and yes: it is a big deal.
Not just because it’s 10x smarter on some random benchmark, but because it represents a shift in how we use AI. This version doesn’t just wait to be told what to do, it just does things. It’s proactive. It takes initiative. And in many cases, it seems to know what you need before you do.
For small businesses and lean teams (my people!) this is huge.
Models That Start to “Think” Before You Ask
Let’s start with what sets GPT-5 apart. Unlike past models where you had to know the right knobs to turn like selecting the right model, specifying “think step-by-step,” managing reasoning time, etc, Chat GPT-5 just… figures it out for you. (!?!?)
Behind the scenes, it’s selecting which version of itself to use (fast or deep-thinking), how long to “think,” and what tools to activate.
In other words: you give it a task and it decides how seriously to take it.
Sometimes it still gets that judgment call wrong. I almost immediately saw it misclassify a complex image generation prompt as “easy” and rush through it. But when it gets it right (or when you nudge it with a “think hard” in your prompt), what comes back is often extraordinary. Not just accurate, but arguably "creative".
This is the AI equivalent of handing a to-do list to a very motivated intern who not only completes the list, but also drafts next week’s plan, builds you a landing page, and casually sends over an investor-ready pitch deck while you’re still sipping your morning coffee. It is efficient, if not slightly unsettling.
From Prompt Engineering to Prompt Suggesting
One of the biggest blockers I see in AI adoption, especially with the small business owners and marketers I work with is that people don’t even know what to ask for.
GPT-5 aims to fix that.
Now the model often suggests the next step. It will finish your thought, surface tools you didn’t ask for, build docs you didn’t expect, and ask if you’d like it to do more. It doesn’t just wait for instructions, it just offers a plan and sometimes, it just does it.
The consultant in me is amazed. The educator in me sees a teaching moment. And the human in me is just a little bit weirded out...
What This Means for Small Business, Now
At Elevate AI, our mission has always been about making AI approachable and useful for the small businesses that tech often overlooks.
So here’s what I think GPT-5 means for us:
Less prompting, more producing: You don’t need to know the perfect phrase to get results. Just ask and let GPT-5 run with it.
More automation with less configuration: GPT-5 acts more like an intelligent agent than a passive chatbot. It will write the doc, format the slide, build the site, and suggest the next three things to do.
The barrier to entry just dropped: This isn’t about “learning AI” anymore. It’s about letting AI learn you: your style, your goals, your voice... And helping you execute faster than ever.
And yes, there are still limitations. Hallucinations haven’t disappeared. Oversight matters. A human in the loop is still needed. But for the first time, I see an AI system where the default experience is impressive. And for many people, that’s what will finally tip the scales from experimentation to integration.
The Shift Is Here. Are You Ready?
When GPT-4 dropped, I told my clients to think of AI like a superpower that required training, prompting frameworks, and a little finesse to wield.
GPT-5? If you know what you're doing, it’s more like a teammate that shows up early, takes initiative, and leaves you wondering how you ever got things done without it.
We’re entering a phase where the AI isn’t just a tool, it’s a participant and partner.
If that sounds exciting (or terrifying), you’re not alone.
But the good news? You don’t have to figure it all out alone. That’s why I’m here!
Let’s build something together... Or better yet, let’s let GPT-5 get started, and we’ll guide it along the way.. 😉
Curious and interested in a free 30-minute consultation with me? Click here.
