On August 7, 2025, OpenAI launched GPT-5, calling it the most advanced model yet. Sam Altman describes it as “the best model in the world.” 

But in business, hype rarely equals reality. The real question is how your workforce can use it to improve outcomes, and whether your company is culturally ready to adopt AI at scale.

Does GPT-5 change anything?

The launch of GPT-5 makes it OpenAI’s most significant model update, unifying reasoning and traditional capabilities under one interface. 

That means it can switch between rapid answers and deeper problem-solving. In testing, while it delivered meaningful improvements in specific areas such as enterprise coding, the launch fell short of expectations and sparked user backlash, marking a potential inflexion point for the AI industry.

Questions arose around “Agent-like” workflows, where AI completes end-to-end tasks. Popular writers such as Ed Zitron claim agents are nothing more than chatbots. 

Behind the enhanced capabilities of GPT-5 there are business imperatives for OpenAI. Altman has long joked about the confusing model variations with odd names. These are now gone.

The free version decides when to use more expensive reasoning and when to provide immediate answers. This is a way of controlling costs while avoiding per token pricing. This matters in a consumer market used to all-you-can-eat software usage.

Many business owners we speak to remain unconvinced about the idea of delegation without oversight. And while hallucinations have fallen, GPT-5 remains stochastic and therefore flawed, meaning businesses must still apply verification protocols to critical outputs.

What does this mean for you and your business? Should you pour all your tech budget into leveraging GPT-5 for automation, or should you just ignore it as it’s still nowhere near superintelligence?

Where Most Companies Fall Short

The reality is that many businesses have yet to fully adapt to the internet. Websites continue to be more informational than transactional, despite buyers choosing to do most of the work in the sales process. Many companies are yet to complete migration to the cloud.

It is little surprise therefore that both companies and workers feel unprepared for AI. The data reveals the issues:

• 78% of UK workers still fear AI’s negative consequences
• Only 27% have received any AI training whatsoever
• Only 40% of companies pay for AI subscriptions and they remain underutilised

While GPT-5 offers newer capabilities and also comes with certain shortcomings, most teams don’t use basic ChatGPT effectively.

The Three-Level Readiness Assessment

Level 1: AI-Resistant (30% of Companies)

These companies share common characteristics. Employees avoid or fear AI tools. Leadership lacks a clear AI strategy. No structured training or adoption programs exist. Any tools that are purchased remain unused.

Level 2: AI-Aware (60% of Companies)

These companies lack control over AI adoption. Employees use LLMs for basic tasks but these are often personal subscriptions and hidden from managers. There is no consistent data security policy in place and the understanding of business integration possibilities remains limited. No measurement of AI productivity occurs.

Level 3: AI-Ready (10% of Companies)

These companies build solid foundations. The workforce receives training on AI fundamentals and ethics. Systematic tool deployment happens across departments. Clear productivity metrics and ROI measurement exist. A culture of experimentation and continuous learning thrives.

If you want to take the assessment for yourself, here’s the link to the AI Assessment.

AI updates occur every week. Any delay compounds the disadvantage.

Where GPT-5 can add value

GPT-5 is capable of completing entire workflows autonomously. This capability, with the right training and supervision, can transform every department in your organisation.

Sales Teams

Lead Research: GPT-5 can automatically pull data on prospects, segment them, and draft outreach sequences.

Proposal Drafting: It can assemble RFP responses, but sales leaders must review before sending.

CRM Updates: Lead enrichment, data entry and follow-ups may be automated, freeing sales teams to focus on relationships.

Operations Teams

Process Documentation: GPT-5 observes and writes draft SOPs, reducing manual admin.

Procurement Support: It can help evaluate vendors or prepare RFQs.

Resource Scheduling: AI-assisted optimisation will save time, but exceptions and context still require human oversight.

Finance Teams

Scenario Planning: GPT-5 can run “what if” models with multiple variables.

Compliance Reporting: Drafting regulatory reports can be automated, with the appropriate level of manual checks.

Forecasting: Budgets can be dynamically updated.

HR Teams

CV Screening: GPT-5 will surface and match applications to job roles.

Training Paths: It can suggest personalised learning programs based on performance data.

Policy Q&A: Internal “HR assistant” use cases can reduce repetitive queries.

What matters at this stage for businesses

Move fast

GPT-5 is available to all free users of ChatGPT as their default model. Advanced and agentic AI capabilities are now democratically accessible. But the competitive advantage doesn’t come from access to technology. It comes from workforce readiness to leverage it effectively.

Prepare for the future

GPT-5 represents the current state-of-the-art. AI development continues to accelerate. Building a future-ready workforce requires adaptability and continuous learning mindsets.

GPT-5 may or may not change how businesses leverage AI. However, every day your workforce remains unprepared to adopt AI is a day your competitors gain ground.

The choice is simple. Transform your workforce into AI power users or risk becoming obsolete.

AI implementation requires understanding of both people and systems. MSBC Group has delivered this dual expertise for over two decades.

We’ve worked with hundreds of small and medium businesses. We know the challenges non-technical teams face when automating workflows. We understand that successful transformation happens when people feel confident, not overwhelmed.

That’s why we created our AI Training programs specifically for SMBs. We train your teams how to use AI effectively in their daily work.

Our structured approach transforms AI-anxious workforces into AI-ready teams. We focus on practical skills that deliver immediate results. Most importantly, we ensure your investment in AI training pays off through measurable productivity gains.

Ready to build your AI-ready workforce? Discover how our AI Training programs can transform your business and position you ahead of the competition.

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Source Links: 

https://kpmg.com/uk/en/media/press-releases/2025/04/majority-of-uk-public.html

https://mlq.ai/media/quarterly_decks/v0.1_State_of_AI_in_Business_2025_Report.pdf