GPT-5 and Agents Breakdown – w/ OpenAI Researchers Isa Fulford & Christina Kim

ChatGPT-5 just launched, marking a major milestone for OpenAI and the entire AI ecosystem. Fresh off the live stream, Erik Torenberg was joined in the studio by  three people who played key roles in making this model a reality: Christina Kim, Researcher at OpenAI, who leads the core models team on post-training Isa Fulford, Researcher at OpenAI, who leads deep research and the ChatGPT agent team on post-training Sarah Wang, General Partner at a16z, who helped lead our investment in OpenAI since 2021 They discuss what’s actually new in ChatGPT-5—from major leaps in reasoning, coding, and creative writing to meaningful improvements in trustworthiness, behavior, and post-training techniques. We also discuss: How GPT-5 was trained, including RL environments and why data quality matters more than ever The shift toward agentic workflows—what “agents” really are, why async matters, and how it’s empowering a new golden age of the “ideas guy” What GPT-5 means for builders, startups, and the broader AI ecosystem going forward Whether you're an AI researcher, founder, or curious user, this is the deep-dive conversation you won't want to miss. Timecodes: 0:00 ChatGPT Origins 1:57 Model Capabilities & Coding Improvements 4:00 Model Behaviors & Sycophancy 6:15 Usage, Pricing & Startup Opportunities 8:03 Broader Impact & AGI Discourse 16:56 Creative Writing & Model Progress 32:37 Training, Data & Reflections 36:21 Company Growth & Culture 41:39 Closing Thoughts & Mission Resources Find Christina on X: https://x.com/christinahkim Find Isa on X: https://x.com/isafulf Find Sarah on X: https://x.com/sarahdingwang Stay Updated:  Let us know what you think: https://ratethispodcast.com/a16z Find a16z on Twitter: https://twitter.com/a16z Find a16z on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16z Subscribe on your favorite podcast app: https://a16z.simplecast.com/ Follow our host: https://x.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures Stay Updated: Find a16z on YouTube: YouTube Find a16z on X Find a16z on LinkedIn Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify Listen to the a16z Show on Apple Podcasts Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.