I lost productivity after launching GPT 5 thinking 😬

Understanding the Impact of Advanced AI Models on Workplace Productivity: A Personal Experience

In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, new models consistently promise to revolutionize efficiency and workflow. As a procurement engineer, I have always been eager to leverage these advancements to optimize our team’s sourcing strategies, identify reliable suppliers, and evaluate offers more effectively. Recently, I introduced my colleagues to ChatGPT as a tool to streamline these tasks, resulting in our manager securing a 10-seat team subscription to maximize its potential.

Initially, the implementation of ChatGPT significantly enhanced our productivity, allowing us to process information faster and make more informed decisions. The team appreciated the AI’s assistance in handling routine inquiries and generating strategic insights, which freed up valuable time for more complex tasks.

However, with the advent of the latest GPT-5 ‘thinking’ model, we’ve observed an unexpected slowdown in our workflow. At first, the decline was subtle and almost imperceptible, but over time, it’s become clear that the increased processing time associated with the new model is impacting our efficiency.

The core issue lies in the nature of this advanced model’s functionality. While GPT-5’s enhanced reasoning capabilities are impressive, they require additional computational time to generate responses. For tasks that demand quick turnaround—such as rapid sourcing queries or immediate supplier evaluations—the prolonged response time hampers our overall productivity.

A common suggestion might be to switch to the faster GPT-5 Instant, which offers quicker responses for straightforward queries. However, our team’s subscription was specifically acquired to access the premium, higher-performing GPT-5 model, with the expectation of benefiting from its advanced features for more complex, strategic tasks.

This experience highlights an important consideration for organizations integrating AI tools into their workflows: the balance between model sophistication and operational efficiency. While cutting-edge AI offers remarkable capabilities, it’s crucial to assess how these tools impact daily productivity, especially in fast-paced environments.

In conclusion, embracing next-generation AI must be accompanied by thoughtful implementation strategies. Teams should assess which tasks genuinely benefit from AI’s advanced reasoning and which might be better served with faster, more streamlined models. As AI continues to evolve, so too must our approaches to integrating these tools effectively to maximize their benefits without compromising efficiency.