When a new generation of AI arrives, expectations are inevitably sky-high. With GPT-5, the conversation has once again tilted between “game-changer” and “overhyped,” and a recent Gartner mini-survey offers a revealing snapshot of how professionals are responding to this shift.
The Survey at a Glance
The question posed was simple:Â
Compared to previous versions, how has the new GPT-5 model impacted your work in terms of intelligence, personality, and usefulness?
From 267 respondents across IT, CIOs, HR, and Finance, the answers illustrate both excitement and reluctance:
- 45% Haven’t tried it yet
- 19% Indifferent: doesn’t make much difference either way
- 13% Game-changer: smarter, sharper, more valuable than ever
- 13% Overhyped: new, but not better
- 6% Disappointing downgrade
- 4% Total mess: errors hurting my business
On top of that, the demographics tell their own story:
- 62% IT leaders
- 21% CIOs
- 13% HR professionals
- 4% Finance leaders
A Market Still in “Wait and See” Mode
The most striking number is the 45% who haven’t tried GPT-5 yet. Nearly half of respondents remain on the sidelines. This could be due to a variety of factors: licensing availability, uncertainty around ROI, or internal caution around AI adoption and governance.
For vendors and AI advocates, this signals a massive adoption gap. The technology may be ready, but organisational readiness is uneven. Many enterprises are still building the governance, compliance, and cultural frameworks necessary to integrate AI at scale.
Polarisation Among Early Adopters
Among those who have used GPT-5, the sentiment is split. Roughly equal numbers call it a game-changer (13%) or overhyped (13%). This divide mirrors past transitions between AI model generations: some users quickly leverage the gains in reasoning and technical capability, while others miss the more conversational “human-like” nuance of earlier models.
The 6% calling GPT-5 a downgrade and 4% citing business harm highlight the real risk of unmet expectations. For these users, the trade-off between technical precision and personality feels like a step backwards. That small but vocal group could slow down broader adoption if their concerns resonate within organisations.
The 19% indifferent category is also telling. For almost one in five respondents, GPT-5 is simply more of the same—useful, but not transformative. This group may be waiting for use cases that go beyond productivity hacks and into domain-specific innovation. In other words, they’re looking for applications that matter directly to their business outcomes.
With 62% of responses from IT and 21% from CIOs, this survey reflects the voices of those most likely to lead technical implementation. Their mixed response suggests a pragmatic stance: early experiments reveal both potential and pitfalls, but broad rollout will hinge on stability, governance, and integration with existing workflows.
HR and Finance, though smaller samples, are often bellwethers for enterprise adoption: HR looks at productivity and policy impacts, while Finance scrutinises costs and returns. Their limited representation here might reflect slower uptake in those domains—or perhaps more guarded enthusiasm.
What This Means for GPT-5 Adoption
Taken together, the survey highlights three critical dynamics shaping GPT-5 adoption:
- Curiosity vs. Commitment: Nearly half haven’t tried it yet—showing strong curiosity but limited hands-on experience.
- Polarised Impressions: Among users, perceptions split between breakthrough value and unmet expectations.
- Leadership Hesitancy: IT and CIOs are testing cautiously, but still weighing benefits against risks.
The Path Forward
For organisations, the question isn’t whether GPT-5 is better than GPT-4 in a vacuum. It’s whether the incremental improvements in intelligence, reasoning, and technical ability translate into measurable business value.
- Early adopters should double down on domain-specific pilots—where GPT-5’s sharper reasoning can add unique value.
- Cautious observers should invest in readiness: data governance, prompt engineering capability, and cultural adaptation.
- Vendors and advocates need to address the perception gap—showing not just technical upgrades, but practical, real-world impact.
As with any technology cycle, adoption will follow an S-curve: a small group of enthusiasts lead, a sceptical middle waits, and eventually the laggards follow when the business case becomes undeniable. GPT-5 is no different.
For now, the Gartner snapshot reminds us that AI adoption is less about hype cycles and more about trust, reliability, and fit-for-purpose deployment. GPT-5 may well be a game-changer—but only for those ready to play.