Overview
- OpenAI released GPT-5.5 and set a leaner GPT-5.5 Instant as the default in ChatGPT, billing the new system as its strongest coding model with better factual answers and multi-step planning.
- CEO Sam Altman said he asked ChatGPT to plan its own launch event, and the model picked May 5, asked for a short human toast, and sought suggestions for a future GPT-5.6.
- The launch party drew intense interest, with Business Insider reporting that more than 8,000 people tried to get in to the San Francisco event.
- OpenAI offered upgraded rate limits for Codex, its coding agent, to everyone who requested a ticket, giving would-be attendees extra free access after the oversubscribed event.
- Futurism highlighted Altman’s remarks about “strange” outputs as attention grows on more agent-like behavior, while Business Insider documented the frenzy around access and the culture of the event.