First Impressions of GPT-5.2

First Impressions of GPT-5.2

Posted
By Nathan
5 min read
First Impressions of GPT-5.2

GPT-5.2 was released on 11 December 2025, and it feels like the release that the original GPT-5 should have been. It builds on the lessons learned from the mixed reception of GPT-5 and the corrective update that followed with GPT-5.1, delivering a powerful model that is more capable, more balanced, and more aligned with how people actually use AI day to day.

Before getting into GPT-5.2 itself, it’s worth briefly acknowledging GPT-5.1. Released on 12 November 2025, GPT-5.1 was a clear signal that OpenAI had listened to user feedback. After criticism around tone, personality, and control in the original GPT-5 launch, GPT-5.1 focused on making the model warmer, more conversational, and better at adapting its reasoning depth to the task at hand.

OpenAI positioned GPT-5.1 around two clear modes of use:

  • GPT-5.1 Instant: OpenAI’s most-used model, described as warmer, more intelligent, and better at following instructions.
  • GPT-5.1 Thinking: OpenAI’s advanced reasoning model, designed to be easier to understand and faster on simple tasks, while remaining more persistent on complex ones.

This framing helped clarify how users should approach the model and reinforced the idea that OpenAI was actively responding to feedback rather than simply iterating in the background.

GPT-5.2 takes that foundation and significantly strengthens it.

A More Complete Release

Where GPT-5 felt uneven and GPT-5.1 felt like a necessary fix, GPT-5.2 feels more complete. It performs well across a wide range of tasks, from everyday questions through to more demanding technical and analytical work.

Rather than excelling in one narrow area, GPT-5.2 feels like a strong generalist that can adapt to what you throw at it. It also feels designed to unlock more real economic value from everyday use. GPT-5.2 is noticeably stronger at producing practical outputs such as spreadsheets, structured documents, presentations, and working code. Combined with better image understanding, tool use, and long-context handling, it feels more capable of supporting complex, multi-step projects rather than just answering isolated questions.

What stands out most is that this breadth now feels intentional rather than incidental. GPT-5.2 doesn’t just switch between tasks; it seems better at understanding what kind of work is being asked of it and responding accordingly. Whether the goal is exploration, planning, analysis, or execution, the model adjusts its behaviour in a way that feels more deliberate and dependable. This makes it easier to treat GPT-5.2 as part of a wider workflow, rather than just something you dip into for isolated answers.

Exploring GPT-5.2 for Coding

I’ve started exploring GPT-5.2 for coding-related tasks, particularly through what’s often described as vibe-coding, a term coined by Karpathy:

As a non-developer, this approach has allowed me to focus less on the code and more on shaping tools that solve very specific problems in my own workflows.

To support this, I’ve begun using Codex directly within VS Code for these tasks. Working in an editor, with the model alongside me, has made the process feel far more practical and grounded. It’s less about “asking for code” and more about collaborating on an idea, iterating on it, and gradually shaping something useful.

These aren’t large-scale or commercial applications. They’re small, purposeful tools built to improve how I work, and GPT-5.2 has been instrumental in helping me get there. I’m using this process not just to build things, but to learn how to work with models in a way that produces tangible, valuable outcomes.

So far, GPT-5.2 (via Codex) has been especially useful for:

  • Scaffolding small applications and scripts
  • Working through multi-step logic without losing context
  • Reasoning about structure, constraints, and trade-offs rather than just generating code

I plan to write about Codex in more detail in future posts, but the early experience has been encouraging. GPT-5.2 feels capable of staying focused on a problem and helping me think it through properly, which in turn is helping me work more efficiently and with greater confidence.

A Step in the Right Direction

Overall, GPT-5.2 feels like a significant step forward and a strong course correction. It delivers the depth and capability people expected from GPT-5, while retaining the improved tone and adaptability introduced in GPT-5.1.

It is not perfect, but it clearly puts OpenAI back at the top of the table when it comes to state-of-the-art models. GPT-5.2 feels like a confident, capable flagship, and a reminder that listening to user feedback matters just as much as pushing technical boundaries.

Final Thoughts

GPT-5.2 feels like a model that has found its footing. It takes the ambition of GPT-5, applies the lessons learned from its reception, and delivers something that feels far more usable in practice.

It may not be the fastest model in every situation, but when the task calls for depth, structure, and careful reasoning, GPT-5.2 proves its worth. More importantly, it shows that OpenAI is willing to listen, iterate, and respond when things don’t land quite right.

For me, GPT-5.2 feels less like a flashy upgrade and more like a dependable tool I can grow into. I’m looking forward to exploring it further, particularly through small coding projects and experiments, and sharing those experiences as they take shape.

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