TL;DR:  

GPT-5 (launched 7 Aug 2025) now powers Microsoft 365 Copilot, GitHub Copilot, Copilot Studio, and Azure AI Foundry. It adds a “smart mode” for speed vs. reasoning, but reactions are mixed: slower on complex tasks, overly strict filtering, change fatigue, and licensing concerns. Still, strengths stand out — clearer outputs, better sequencing, role‑aware customisation, and solid knowledge management. To get the most out of it, use precise prompts, link it to reliable sources, and build role-specific prompt libraries. Our take: ignore the noise, test it on your real processes, and judge by outcomes, not clickbait headlines and personal opinions.

What’s happening and why it matters

When OpenAI released GPT-5, Microsoft wasted no time weaving it into its ecosystem. GPT-5 is now the default engine behind Copilot experiences across Microsoft 365, GitHub and Azure, making Copilot the front door to how most people will feel the upgrade. What makes it different is the addition of “smart mode”: dynamic routing that automatically switches between lighter, faster models for simple tasks and slower, more reasoning-heavy ones for complex, multi-step problems. You don’t need to choose; Copilot does it for you.

Licensed Microsoft 365 Copilot users got priority access on day one, with others following in phased waves. In Copilot Studio, GPT-5 is already available in early release cycles for building and testing custom agents.

Why do some people dislike GPT-5?

Online discussions around GPT-5 have been a bit chaotic. When the announcement dropped, the hype took off like wildfire: bold claims of “human-level reasoning,” “a game-changer,” even “the biggest leap since GPT-3.” But then came reality. Early adopters ran tests and the backlash followed. Here are the main pain points they mentioned:

• Overpromised, underdelivered
  People expected perfection. Instead, they found a smarter but still fallible LLM. It makes fewer reasoning mistakes, but hallucinations and generic text haven’t disappeared.
  

• Slower on complex tasks
  Deep reasoning mode can feel sluggish compared to quick drafts. That’s because it’s doing more thinking. Still, in an operations setting, slow answers can feel like lost time.  

This shows up most clearly in Copilot when you’re drafting long documents or analysing complex data models.

• Too safe, too filtered
  Some users noticed that Copilot holds back even on harmless internal queries, as Microsoft’s enterprise safety filters are set quite conservatively.

• Change fatigue
  Frequent Copilot updates introduce variability in workflows and prompt behaviour, requiring users to continually adapt. This can disrupt established processes and create the perception of enforced adoption rather than incremental, planned change management.
  

• Licensing worries
  Licensing itself hasn’t changed for now — GPT-5 is included in existing Microsoft 365 Copilot licences. However, heavy use of custom agents in Copilot Studio could generate additional compute or API costs, particularly in high-volume scenarios. Keep a close eye on usage metrics to anticipate potential budget impacts.
  
  

Why it’s still worth your time

If you only read LinkedIn takes, you might think GPT-5 is either magic or useless. But if you check the LMArena benchmarks — a popular platform combining crowd-sourced and in-house evaluations — you’ll see GPT-5 ranked as one of the top models, taking first place in multiple categories, such as hard prompts, coding, math, and instruction following (as of 20^th of August, 2025.  

In practice, this can bring tangible benefits to operations teams using Copilot:

• Better sequencing: It arranges tasks in the right order with less manual prompting.

• Improved clarity: Outputs read more like a professional SOP than a messy checklist.

• Role-specific tailoring: You can adapt outputs for different audiences, from new hires to experienced staff.

• Knowledge management: Scattered notes, Teams chats and old docs can quickly become structured guides.

• Field support: With Copilot on mobile, field workers can query internal manuals instantly, from safety procedures to troubleshooting steps. Add image upload and ticket creation, and you have lightweight expert support in the field.  

• Everyday admin: Drafting project updates, onboarding packs, change announcements, policies, and even scheduling factory visits works better than in GPT-4.

In short: it’s not flawless, but it is useful — if you know how to use it.

How to make GPT-5 work for you

The difference between frustration and real value with GPT-5 usually comes down to how you use it.  

The more context you give, the better the results. Instead of “Write the meeting notes,” try “Summarise the July 10 shift handover meeting, highlighting safety incidents, equipment downtime, and actions assigned to each supervisor.”

For anything going to external stakeholders or compliance teams, human review is still essential. It also pays to connect Copilot to authoritative sources like SharePoint libraries or Teams channels, and to keep those sources tidy so you’re not pulling in outdated content.  

If you want consistent tone and structure, build reusable templates in Copilot Studio and share a simple prompt cheat sheet with your team — common starters like “Draft…”, “Compare…” or “Summarise…” go a long way.  

Training should be role-specific, showing how GPT-5 makes day-to-day tasks easier, starting small and scaling up as confidence grows.  

And perhaps most importantly, set expectations: deep reasoning is for complex, critical work, while fast mode is best for quick drafts — and in all cases, human judgement still matters.

Don’t rely on benchmarks alone — see how it performs on your tasks

GPT-5 is a meaningful upgrade that, in the right hands, can save hours of manual effort and make knowledge more accessible across teams. But it demands smart adoption: clear prompts, proper governance, and a willingness to test it against your real processes.

Ignore the noise. Don’t take the word of content creators or sales decks at face value. Put GPT-5 to work on your use cases, measure the outcomes, and decide for yourself.  

Want your teams to use Copilot like a pro? Request a live workshop so you can scale operations without increasing headcount.

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