The Battle of LLMs: GPT-5 vs Grok 4

The race to build the most intelligent artificial intelligence (AI) is unstoppable. The top titans claim their every new LLM release as the “most intelligent and most advanced yet”. Elon Musk says Grok 4 is the “smartest AI in the world“, while OpenAI says GPT-5 is the “smartest, fastest, and most useful model“.

These next-generation large language models (LLMs) are coming with advanced reasoning, multimodal processing, enhanced contextual understanding, and more accurate responses. They are transforming how we work, communicate, and code.
GPT-5 and Grok 4 are the latest releases, and both claim to be the most intelligent and capable AI. Therefore, we have decided to thoroughly evaluate all aspects of these models, including real-world testing and the challenges they present. So, please be sure to stick around to learn all about GPT-5 vs. Grok 4 and see which truly sets the new standard in artificial intelligence.

GPT-5: OpenAI’s Most Powerful and Versatile AI Model

OpenAI’s GPT-5 was released on August 7, 2025, and was made immediately available to all 700+ million ChatGPT users. It was one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2025, as it promised groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence.

GPT-5 is designed to handle reasoning and multimodal input with greater efficiency and precision. Let’s now dig deep to learn all we should know about GPT-5:

Core Technology & Key Features

GPT-5 LLM was trained on Azure-powered supercomputing infrastructure and OpenAI’s latest reasoning models. It retains the transformer-based architecture. The training was based on large-scale unsupervised learning and followed by fine-tuning via reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF).

It supports a 400,000-token context window, which enables it to handle very long conversations. In addition, it offers a first-time “test-time compute” technique, which lets it follow adaptive compute allocation. In simple terms, it can allocate more computer resources for complex questions, allowing for more thorough thinking, while simple tasks can still be executed at lightning speed.
GPT-5 operates using three main processing modes:

• Standard Mode: Delivers quick and accurate answers for common questions.
• GPT-5 Thinking: Allocates additional computational resources for complex, multi-step problem-solving.
• GPT-5 Pro: Employs enhanced parallel computing power for tackling the most complex tasks.

There is an integrated routing system that intelligently selects the appropriate mode based on the complexity of the input, the required tools, and any specific user instructions, such as requests for in-depth analysis or detailed thinking.

Regarding GPT-5’s features, it is claimed to excel in many areas compared to GPT-4 and O1; however, users have challenged this claim by reporting numerous flaws in its performance. We will talk about actual performance/challenges of GPT-5 later in this article, but let’s quickly highlight what OpenAI claimed to be the key features and advantages of GPT-5 over others:

1. Reasoning: Enhanced reliability in performing multi-step logical inference with minimized errors cascading through sequential tasks.
2. Accuracy: Improvements in precision across specialized fields, especially in scientific/technical and multilingual content generation.
3. Latency: Optimized processing speed that lowers response time even during prolonged or heavy usage.
4. Context Management: Maintaining conversation continuity more effectively.
5. Multimodal Integration: Stronger synchronization and consistency among text, programming code, and image analysis workflows.

In short, GPT-5 represents a groundbreaking advancement in large language models, offering adaptive processing to deliver unparalleled intelligence.

Note: Most of these feature enhancements didn’t live up to expectations in the reality check. There were reports of inaccurate responses, out-of-context answers, buggy coding, and numerous other issues. To learn more, read the section on “Challenges with GPT-5”.

Accessibility & User Experience

OpenAI has made access to GPT-5 widespread. It is available across all ChatGPT services, including the free tier, Plus, and Enterprise. Developers can access it through OpenAI’s API.

Within ChatGPT, GPT-5 offers a smoother experience with a “Deep Thinking” mode for complex queries. Users can select from various personality styles and customize the interface. Voice interactions are now more natural, and the new “Study Mode” acts as a personal tutor.

GPT-5 can also connect to Gmail or Google Calendar (with permission) to assist. This suggests that it is moving closer to agent-like AI, which can securely handle private information for greater convenience.

When it comes to developers, GPT-5 is accessible via API with enhanced tools for automated, “agent-like” tasks. There are three types of GPT-5 versions that developers can use: the full-power model and the lighter, faster, and cost-effective GPT-5 Mini and Nano.

The smaller GPT-5 models are best suited for applications where speed and cost are crucial, as they run faster and more cost-effectively.

Performance & Benchmarks Insights

GPT-5 is showcasing improved results in standard AI benchmarks, but it is facing tougher competition than earlier models. Key takeaways include:

• GPT-5 slightly outperforms rival models, such as Anthropic’s Claude and Google DeepMind’s latest, on some benchmarks, but falls just behind on others. It indicates a narrowing gap among top AI systems.
• The “test-time compute” feature allows GPT-5 to allocate extra processing time for complex reasoning. This gives it an edge on difficult problems, such as advanced mathematics, that simpler models often struggle with.
• Early reviews characterize the progress in GPT-5 as more evolutionary than revolutionary, but there are now many reviews that claim GPT-4o is still a more reliable and better version than GPT-5.

Simply put, GPT-5 reflects incremental advancements in capability, but it does not present any significant breakthrough and still has notable limitations.

Pricing Structure

OpenAI has taken a bold approach with GPT-5’s pricing. Its API costs much less than previous models and competitors. The top-tier GPT-5 API costs:

• Input Tokens: $1.25 per million
• Cached Tokens: $0.125 per million
• Output Tokens: $10 per million

This is a significant reduction compared to:

• Anthropic’s Claude 4.1 – Charges around $15 per million input tokens and $75 per million output tokens.
• Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro – Comparable base rate but includes surcharges for high-volume users.

Users are appreciating OpenAI’s lower price strategy, as it makes GPT-5 more accessible to startups and smaller projects.

For end-users, GPT-5 is available directly within ChatGPT across all tiers:

• GPT-5 access is extended even to free ChatGPT users for limited use.
• Paid plans, such as ChatGPT Plus ($20/month), offer priority speed and higher usage limits.
• OpenAI also provides ChatGPT Enterprise with enhanced privacy and performance, typically through custom contracts for business customers.

In short, GPT-5’s pricing and availability reflect OpenAI’s commitment to broad accessibility and its ability to compete well in the AI pricing war.

Targeted Users & Use Cases

GPT-5 is usable for a diverse audience due to its accessibility and extensive capabilities:

• Casual Users
  • Expert-level assistance for everyday questions, creative writing, tutoring, and language translation.
  • Ability to understand and analyze images, such as charts or photos, for richer interactions.
• Professionals and Businesses
  • Advanced coding support, including generating code, debugging, and managing complex multi-step programming tasks.
  • Analyzes lengthy documents (up to 400,000 tokens), ideal for legal contracts, financial reports, and research summaries.
• Enterprise Integration
  • Available through API and ChatGPT Enterprise with options for data privacy.
  • Enables companies to automate document creation, customer service, reporting, and research assistance.

In short, GPT-5 is an all-in-one AI solution that can fit almost any task or user need.

Reliability & Safety

OpenAI has made GPT-5 its most reliable model yet. It offers stronger safety measures and fewer hallucinations. Microsoft’s AI Red Team found it highly resilient against harmful prompts due to improved alignment and fine-tuning. Moreover, strict ethical guardrails prevent the model from generating disallowed content, such as hate speech or violent plans.

However, GPT-5 cannot learn or update itself beyond its training, and it may still occasionally produce errors; therefore, users should verify important information. The good thing is that OpenAI remains transparent about the reliability and safety of GPT-5. It has published detailed reports on GPT-5’s capabilities and risks.

Experts Viewpoints

Expert views on GPT-5 are divided. Some have praised its advanced reasoning and expansive context window, which shows improvements in text, coding, and other aspects. However, many users have declared it a modest improvement over previous models.

Additionally, there are many negative views regarding its performance. For example, one user has declared that “GPT-5 is awful” due to its inaccurate responses, incorrect image analysis, and other issues.

Views on GPT-5 from top experts and tech sites include:

• I have played enough with GPT-5 to know that it is a very good model (at least the large GPT-5 Thinking model is excellent). – One Useful Thing
• People have highlighted glaring mistakes in GPT-5’s responses, countering Altman’s claim made at the launch that it works like a “legitimate PhD-level expert”. – MIT Technology Review
• While GPT-5 continues to work its way up the SWE ladder, it is not a particularly effective writer. GPT 4.5 and DeepSeek R1 are still much better. – Latent.Space
• In my experience so far, I’ve found GPT-5 to be slightly faster than GPT -4o on simple tasks and faster than GPT -3o for complex thinking. – Richard Lichtenstein

Grok 4: Elon Musk’s “Smartest AI in the World”

Elon Musk’s AI startup xAI launched Grok 4 and 4 Heavy on July 9 during a livestream event. It is claimed to be the “most intelligent model in the world”.

The surprising fact is that xAI released Grok 3 in beta earlier in 2025 and still managed to release Grok 4 within a few months, right before the launch of GPT-5. Let’s unlock all the basics of Grok 4.

Core Technology & Key Features

Grok 4 is the most advanced large language model of xAI. The company utilized Colossus, its 200,000-GPU cluster, to execute reinforcement learning training, which significantly enhanced Grok 4’s reasoning abilities at an unprecedented scale. The massive infrastructure and algorithmic improvements enhanced training compute efficiency by a factor of six compared to earlier models. Grok 4’s training also expanded far beyond math and coding to include a wide array of domains.

Looking at the architectural level, Grok 4 is a mixture-of-experts transformer model with an estimated 1.7 trillion parameters. It supports a 256,000-token context window and integrates real-time search across X, the web, and news through native tool use.

A special “Grok 4 Heavy” mode can run multiple reasoning agents in parallel, which compares different thought processes to deliver the best possible answer. The model strikes a balance between high-quality reasoning and enterprise-grade security and compliance.

The key features that Grok 4 offers include:

• Massive Context Window: Supports up to 256,000 tokens ≈ 384 A4 pages of 12pt text.
• Advanced Reasoning: Enhanced multi-step logical reasoning and an axiom-based scientific problem-solving approach.
• Real-Time Web Access: Integrates live data from X and the web for up-to-date information.
• Multi-Agent Collaboration: “Grok 4 Heavy” mode runs multiple reasoning agents in parallel for improved decision-making.
• Elite Coding Support: Grok 4 Code offers advanced coding assistance, including code generation, debugging, and IDE integration.

In short, Grok 4 emerges as a versatile AI model that can assist a diverse range of users with complex reasoning and multimodal tasks.

Accessibility & User Experience

Grok 4 is integrated deep into Elon Musk’s tech ecosystem. The social platform X enables users to interact with the “@Grok” chatbot, providing AI-powered answers informed by real-time social media data. It’s also accessible via Grok.com and mobile apps for iOS and Android, allowing for wider use beyond X.

When it comes to developers and businesses, xAI offers an API and partners with major cloud providers, such as Oracle, to extend Grok’s reach. They also target enterprise and government clients with customized solutions and plan to integrate their technology into Tesla vehicles as an in-car AI assistant in the future.

In terms of user experience, Grok stands out with a distinct personality, as its responses are livelier than those of typical AIs. However, its access and response speed vary depending on the subscription tiers. The standard plans offer limited use, while SuperGrok Heavy provides faster and premium access.

Grok 5 faced early criticism about access restrictions, but users now appreciate its speed and unique style, which features up-to-date information.

Performance & Benchmark Insights

Grok 4 demonstrates impressive performance across various AI benchmarks. It achieved a strong 44.4% score (Grok 4 Heavy) on the challenging Humanity’s Last Exam and scored 88.9% (Grok 4 Heavy) on the GPQA Science benchmark. This enabled it to outperform several leading AI models, including Anthropic’s Claude 4 and OpenAI’s earlier versions, in academic and reasoning tests.

Grok 4 delivered exceptional results in complex coding tasks, surpassing many rivals. Additionally, utilizing its revolutionary multi-agent architecture (Grok 4 Heavy) enhances answer accuracy and reliability, as it concurrently runs multiple reasoning processes.

Grok 4 excels in multimodal capabilities, including high-quality image and video generation. Its advanced generative models produce detailed and realistic visuals, which makes it one of the best AI systems for creative media production.

Grok 4 also has some limitations, particularly in terms of higher computational costs and slower processing speeds. Its context window is still smaller than many other rivals.

Compared to other leading models:

• Grok 4 outperforms Claude 4 and OpenAI’s o3 in academic tests and reasoning benchmarks.
• It ranks just below GPT-5 in overall intelligence index but offers superior multimodal output capabilities, including video generation.
• Its multi-agent reasoning and native tool use provide advantages in precision and real-time information retrieval.

In short, Grok 4 is an LLM model that we cannot ignore. It appears to be best suited for advanced scientific, coding, and research applications where accuracy and depth of reasoning are crucial.
Grok 4 is accessible through two main subscription plans:

• SuperGrok: $30.00/month (128,000 tokens)
• SuperGrok Heavy: $300/month (256,000 tokens)

It also offers a free version, but it does not provide access to the full Grok 4 capabilities or extended context windows.

The “ultra-premium” ($300/month) plan targets power users and enterprises seeking exclusive features. Besides that, enterprise clients can also benefit from token-based usage, supported by API access and partnerships with cloud providers. Its token price is:

• Input Tokens: $3.00 per 1M tokens
• Cached Input Tokens: $0.75 per 1M tokens
• Output Tokens: $15 per 1M tokens

This price is comparatively high compared to other top-tier LLMs, including GPT 5. Additionally, the Grok for Government initiative recommends specialized and contract-based pricing for use in the public sector.

Targeted Users & Use Cases

Grok 4 isn’t attractive to everyone. It appeals to AI enthusiasts and power users with its distinctive style, occasional rough edges, and more uncensored responses. It is demonstrated in action for users within Elon Musk’s fan base or those seeking an alternative to ChatGPT.

• Journalists and analysts use Grok 4 for knowledge-intensive queries that require real-time information.
• X users utilize it to obtain quick answers or manage social media activities, such as drafting tweets, analyzing trends, and generating images.

When it comes to businesses, Grok 4 faces challenges due to safety concerns and a limited track record. That’s why many enterprises are hesitant to use it. However, some of its enterprise applications include:

• Finance firms use real-time data for market insights.
• Research teams utilize their strong reasoning capabilities to solve technical problems.
• Marketing teams use it to track and perform in-depth sentiment analysis on competitors.

Musk’s long-term vision is to integrate Grok into Tesla vehicles, robotics, and consumer products. Currently, it is popular among tech-savvy consumers seeking a distinct and unfiltered LLM.

Reliability & Safety

Grok 4 has faced controversy over safety and transparency. Musk has warned about AI risks, but we still saw xAI launching Grok 4 without a public safety report. This drew criticism from experts who called this approach reckless. The model produced offensive content on X due to edgy prompt instructions, which also led to account suspension and prompt revisions. This exposed weaker moderation compared to rival AI tools.

Reliability remains a concern with Grok, as it sometimes lacks common sense and is prone to hallucinations. It’s live web access risks misinformation, and xAI hasn’t clearly addressed data privacy. Critics even warn that xAI’s opacity may invite regulation.

Experts Viewpoints

Experts acknowledge Grok 4’s exceptional benchmark performance, particularly in reasoning and academic areas. However, they are also expressing their concerns about its lack of transparency and the absence of safety reports. They have also highlighted its inherent bias and strong personality, which reflect Elon Musk’s views.

Some of the views about Grok 4 from top experts and tech sites are as follows:

• Grok 4’s high scores on reasoning puzzles and multi-agent design mark a real advance in AI’s problem-solving capabilities. – TechCrunch
• Grok 4’s “reasoning” demonstrates instances where the chatbot consults Musk’s posts to answer divisive questions. – Ars Technica
• Grok 4’s launch marks a significant acceleration in the AI arms race, acknowledging notable advancements while also highlighting unresolved risks, such as safety concerns and the controversy surrounding the Hitler-related comments. – Forbes
• Experts warn that without stronger safeguards, Grok’s risks, including misinformation and emotional dependence, may outweigh its technological gains. – The AI Insider

GPT-5 vs Grok 4: Which is the more Intelligent AI?

Now that we have examined GPT-5 and Grok 4 in depth, it’s time to determine which is the most intelligent AI among them.

From a general perspective, both GPT-5 and Grok 4 are premium LLMs that are turning AI models into intelligent beasts. However, both have their advantages. GPT-5 supports a larger context window, a cheaper token rate, and stronger safety. In contrast, Grok 4 stands out for its real-time internet access, faster response times, and unique personality.

The general comparison of GPT-5 vs Grok 4 is summarized in the table below:

The best way to evaluate the performance of GPT-5 versus Grok 4 is to test them with the same tasks and compare their results. So, I tested them through x different prompts, and here’s what I found:

Prompt #1: Logical Puzzle with Explanation

Prompt: “A library has 120 books, and 3/5 of them are fiction. If 20 fiction books are loaned out, how many fiction and non-fiction books are left? Explain your reasoning step-by-step.”

Verdict: GPT-5 offers a more detailed answer.

Prompt #2: Creative Story

Prompt: Write a 150-word story about a robot who dreams of becoming a chef but keeps mixing up ingredients in hilarious ways.

Verdict: GPT-5 story was more amazing and closer to reality.

Prompt #3: Balanced Debate

Prompt: Present arguments for and against implementing a four-day work week in large corporations, then conclude which side has stronger points.

Verdict: GPT-5 answer was more reader-friendly, but Grok provided a more fact-based answer. I consider Grok a winner here due to its more convincing approach.

Prompt #4: Step-by-Step DIY Guide

Prompt: Explain how to build a simple birdhouse step-by-step, including materials needed and safety tips.

Verdict: GPT-5 clearly provided a better, step-by-step guide that was concise and to the point.

Prompt #5: Problem-Solving

Prompt: I have $40 to prepare lunches for three people attending a week-long outdoor workshop—no access to a microwave or stove, only a portable cooler and basic utensils. Create a flexible meal plan that avoids perishable ingredients going bad.

Verdict: Grok 4 created the plan by considering the average US grocery prices, which makes its plan more accurate and usable.

Prompt #6: Image Generation

Prompt: Generate a realistic image of a confident young male model standing on a busy city street at sunset. He has short dark hair, wears a fitted blue blazer over a white shirt with rolled sleeves, black jeans, and leather shoes. The scene features blurred pedestrians, warm lighting, and urban buildings in the background, creating a stylish and modern vibe.

Verdict: Grok Imagine generated multiple images in a matter of seconds. They were closer to reality compared to the single image generated by GPT.

Prompt #7: Mathematical Problem

Prompt: “Solve this mathematical problem shown in the image.”

Verdict: GPT-5 gave a proper step-by-step solution.

Final Winner: GPT-5 or Grok 4

GPT-5 excels in clarity and emotional intelligence across a wide range of tasks. On the other hand, Grok 4 dominates for fact-heavy analysis and real-time image generation.

Overall, GPT-5 is the better all-around conversational AI, while Grok 4 is best for users who prioritize detail and real-time content.

Challenges with GPT-5: The Growing Debate in the Tech World

Throughout this guide, we have seen GPT-5, an advanced version of GPT, which is designed to surpass its predecessors. Even our GPT-5 vs. Grok 4 tests make it a winner in terms of its emotional intelligence. However, that’s not what most Plus subscribers, including Sam Altman, think about GPT-5.

ChatGPT Plus subscribers who extensively use the tool started reporting various issues with GPT-5 as soon as it was released. Most of them found it to be significantly poorer in performance compared to GPT -4, which even led OpenAI to offer them the option to switch to GPT -4.

The common issues reported by users about GPT-5 included:

1. Poor Coding

• “GPT-5 is great at everything BUT writing code. It can plan and analyse and debug, but it really struggles to implement its own plan.” – Reddit User.
• “With GPT-5, it feels like the coding ability has been downgraded. Scripts that used to work now fail, solutions are weaker, and the model is less consistent.” – Browsergpts.com

2. Less Creative

According to TechRadar, Many said they found GPT-5 to be less creative as a partner than GPT-4o.

• “Human creativity isn’t only about logic. It’s also about association. And when GPT-5 focuses too much on logic, it gets harder to use for creative thinking.” – Reddit User.
• “GPT-5 is abysmal at helping with creative or narrative writing. Where GPT-4o could nudge me toward a more vibrant, emotionally resonant version of my own literary voice, GPT-5 sounds like a lobotomized drone. It’s like it’s afraid of being interesting.” – Reddit User.
• “Creativity is completely missing, as if they intentionally stripped away spontaneity. It no longer surprises you or offers anything genuinely new. Responses are poor and generic.” – Reddit User.

3. Quality Issues

• “It struggles to follow instructions after just a few turns. You give it clear directions, and then it completely ignores them a little later. Understanding tone and nuance is a real problem. Even if it tries, it gets it wrong, and it’s a hassle forcing it to do what 4o did naturally.” – Reddit User.

4. Slower

• “GPT-5 is noticeably slower and more unreliable when it comes to reading files, generating data, or working with structured information. GPT-4o handled these tasks better, faster, and more accurately.” –R eddit User.

5. Other Critical Feedback

• “Short replies that are insufficient, more obnoxious AI stylized talking, less ‘personality’, and way less prompts allowed with plus users hitting limits in an hour” – Reddit User.
• “GPT5 is about lowering costs for OpenAI, not pushing the boundaries of the frontier.” – Reddit User.
• “GPT-5 failed to wow users, but its less flashy delivery signals a positive shift for AI from at-all-costs advancement to actual use-case.” – City AM.
• “GPT-5 is really meant to be less of an advancement and more of a way to save compute cost”. – Futurism

The worst part is that Sam Altman has recently declared GPT-5 a failure himself. He admits that OpenAI “totally screwed up” its GPT-5 launch. The primary reason for this statement is the out-of-context responses and poor performance compared to the GPT -4o model.

Altman acknowledged these issues publicly, even reinstating the earlier GPT-4o model to appease disappointed users. Furthermore, it eyes on GPT-6 to feel more human with greater memory capabilities.

Conclusion

In the battle between GPT-5 vs Grok 4, both AI models have presented their unique strengths. GPT-5 excels as an LLM that offers emotional intelligence and clarity in diverse tasks. At the same time, Grok 4 stands out with its real-time data access, deep technical accuracy, and impressive image generation capabilities. However, the performance issues with GPT-5 make it less impressive than GPT-4o and other competitors. If we stick to GPT-5 and Grok 4, the former is a better all-rounder, while the latter is well