/dq/media/media_files/2025/08/25/gpt-5-2025-08-25-11-34-17.jpg)
After launching GPT-5 a few days ago, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman introduced exciting new GPT-5 response modes on August 13. Users can now select from three distinct response settings- Auto, Fast, and Thinking, to tailor their interaction experience. This update aims to provide more control and customisation, enhancing how different users engage with the model. Altman mentioned that rate limits for the ‘Thinking’ mode are capped at 3,000 messages per week, but those needing more capacity can switch to GPT-5 Thinking mini, offering expanded access. With a massive 196k-token context limit, GPT-5 can process longer documents and handle extended conversations, further boosting its real-world usability.
“You can now choose between “Auto”, “Fast”, and “Thinking” for GPT-5. Most users will want Auto, but the additional control will be useful for some people. Rate limits are now 3,000 messages/week with GPT-5 Thinking, and then extra capacity on GPT-5 Thinking mini after that limit. The context limit for GPT-5 Thinking is 196k tokens. We may have to update rate limits over time depending on usage,” the OpenAI CEO said in a post on X.
GPT-5 response modes: Exploring ChatGPT auto fast thinking modes
The new GPT-5 response modes are: Auto - a general-purpose response mode, providing a balanced mix of speed and thoughtfulness; Fast - prioritising speed; Thinking - prioritising depth and thoroughness. This versatility in the ChatGPT Auto Fast Thinking modes enables users to opt between brief responses or more detailed and lengthy answers according to their use. Sam Altman says that the Auto mode will satisfy most of the demands, yet demanding users or practitioners requiring more complex answers can take advantage of the more comprehensive Thinking mode.
The Thinking mode attributes of the GPT-5 are optimised to think in-depth about hard problems and provide extensive reasoning, making them applicable in applications where precision and detailed thinking are a must. This mode takes full advantage of the model, it has a huge new context window of 196 000 tokens, enabling it to handle long text or multi-turn responses. This raises the potential of GPT-5 to act as a PhD-level expert in technical fields, and even in coding.
GPT-5 response modes: Sam Altman GPT-5 announcement and user targeting
By announcing GPT-5 response modes, Sam Altman explained that they could provide various categories of users with what they need: most casual users can enjoy the well-balanced quality of Auto mode, whereas the strong capacity of Thinking mini can be appropriate in the case of a power user. This layer structure is effective in controlling system resources and providing customised experiences The limit of expanded tokens and the series of options of modes also signify that OpenAI has targeted professional and corporate customers that require robust reasoning and code support in addition to common conversational AI applications.
GPT-5 response modes: Speed vs depth in the OpenAI GPT-5 update
Striking a balance between GPT-5 speed and depth is fundamental to the new response modes. Fast mode provides answers quickly to simple questions, whereas Thinking mode performs slow but in-depth searches.Auto mode will choose the optimal balance of each query, which maximises user experience. This capability appeals to the emerging demands of contemporary users of AI that need timely and substantial information on the same platform.
The availability of GPT-5 with its various options of GPT-5 response as well as its many abilities supports the argument that OpenAI has the most powerful coding model yet. Improved coding capabilities, increasing problem-solving power and context capacity, make GPT-5 an excellent option to consider as an AI tool by developers, researchers, and professionals that require a high level of competence. GPT-5 updates by Sam Altman guarantee that regardless of the desires of the user, be it speed or depth, it is able to adapt to this need and open up a new era of AI interaction.