We’re excited to introduce GPT-5.2, our most powerful model and versatile model yet.
GPT-5.2 builds on the GPT-5 experience you’re already familiar with, but focuses on making everyday interactions faster, more reliable, and easier to control, without sacrificing the ability to handle complex work when you need it.
What’s New in GPT-5.2
GPT-5.2 brings a set of improvements that show up quickly in day-to-day use:
Faster responses: Drastically reduced latency for common tasks like drafting, summarizing, and Q&A.
Enhanced Reliability: More consistent reasoning and clearer logic across all modes.
Advanced Tool Integration: Improved performance on "real-world" work, including complex document reviews, data analysis, and structured outputs.
Expanded capabilities in lighter reasoning mode: Our lighter reasoning mode is now more capable, handling tasks that previously required full-power processing.
Together, these changes make GPT-5.2 feel quicker and more dependable, whether you’re moving fast or working through something complex.
Choosing a Reasoning Mode in GovAI
GPT-5.2 supports multiple reasoning levels so you can choose the right balance of speed vs. depth for your task.
Below is a quick guide to help you decide which one to use.
Reasoning Modes Overview
Mode | When to Use | Behaviour in Practice (Example) |
✨ Automatic
| If you’re not sure which mode to choose | The Default. It intelligently routes your request. Simple prompts get instant answers, while complex logic triggers deeper thinking automatically. |
⚡ Fast | Quick drafts, edits, simple questions, or lightweight tasks where speed matters | Responds with minimal thinking time. In GPT-5.2, Fast is now fully capable of reading/creating files and using tools for rapid, practical work. |
⏱️ Standard | Summaries, explanations, emails, policy notes | Takes a brief moment to organize thoughts. Produces clear, structured answers that get straight to the point without unnecessary fluff. |
🧠 Extended | When nuance matters or you need more careful reasoning | Spends extra time thinking through the response. Explanations are more detailed, with clearer logic and trade-offs. |
🎓 Pro | Complex analysis, research, or high-stakes decisions | Maximum reasoning effort. Takes significant time to process multi-step problems, designed for complex, sensitive, or technical topics. |
Practical Use Cases and Examples (GPT-5.2)
Scenario | Example Prompt | Reasoning Mode |
Quick edit or rewrite | “Rewrite this paragraph to be shorter and clearer.” | ⚡ Fast |
Document Processing | “Pull the key dates from this uploaded document.” | ⚡ Fast |
Creating a simple file | “Create a one-page summary document from this text.” | ⚡ Fast |
Routine Overview | “Explain how cities manage flooding risks.” | ⚡ Fast or ⏱️ Standard |
Policy or briefing summary | “Summarize this report for a non-technical audience.” | ⏱️ Standard |
Comparing options with nuance | “Compare green infrastructure and storm-water systems, including pros and cons.” | 🧠 Extended |
Multi-step analysis | “Analyze the impacts of zoning reform on housing and climate resilience.” | 🧠 Extended |
High-stakes decision support | “Evaluate long-term resilience strategies using zoning reform and investment data.” | 🎓 Pro |
Research or strategic planning | “Assess risks, trade-offs, and outcomes of different climate investment strategies.” | 🎓 Pro |
Not sure which mode to choose | “How should we approach climate adaptation planning?” | ✨ Automatic
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How Reasoning Levels Change the Output (GPT-5.2)
The examples below show how the same prompt can produce different outputs depending on the selected reasoning level.
Note: These examples are for illustration only. Actual responses may vary based on your prompt, context, and selected tools.
Prompt: “Explain the main risks cities face from extreme heat.”
Reasoning Mode | Example Output Style |
⚡ Fast | The Direct Answer: "Extreme heat increases public health risks (heatstroke), strains energy grids due to AC demand, and causes infrastructure damage like buckling roads." |
⏱️ Standard | The Structured Overview: "Cities face three primary risks: 1. Public Health: Increased mortality in vulnerable populations. 2. Energy: Potential grid failure from peak demand. 3. Infrastructure: Thermal expansion damaging rail and road networks." |
🧠 Extended | The Contextual Analysis: "Beyond immediate health and energy spikes, extreme heat creates a 'compounding risk' effect. For instance, high energy demand can lead to brownouts, which then disables the cooling systems needed to protect the public, creating a feedback loop that overwhelms emergency services." |
🎓 Pro | The Systemic Evaluation: "A comprehensive risk assessment includes: Micro-climatic variables (Urban Heat Island effect), Socio-economic vulnerability mapping (inequitable access to cooling), and Long-term fiscal strain (decreased labor productivity and accelerated depreciation of urban materials). This requires an integrated policy approach combining green infrastructure with grid hardening." |
Ready to try it out? GPT-5.2 is now available to all GovAI users. Select your mode in the dropdown menu to start optimizing your workflow today.