Exploring the Capabilities of GPT-5.2: Insights from a 13-Round Evaluation

Examining GPT-5.2's Performance

OpenAI recently unveiled GPT-5.2, an AI touted as their most advanced model to date, aimed at enhancing professional knowledge applications.

Amidst the widespread adoption of generative AI in 2023, I have consistently conducted repeatable evaluations of emerging models and their releases. This includes regular assessments conducted by ZDNET.

The Testing Protocol

In my recent assessment, I subjected leading chatbots to 10 text-focused challenges, each scoring up to 10 points, alongside 4 image-based tests, each contributing a maximum of 5 points, culminating in a potential total of 120 points. Currently, the free version of ChatGPT accessed via test accounts still operates on GPT-5.1.

Detailed Textual Evaluations

News Summarization Task

This task assessed GPT-5.2's ability to digest and distill current news articles. Although it successfully condensed information from a Washington State flooding report, it sourced details from multiple outlets, which led to a deduction for not adhering strictly to the initial guidelines.

Explaining Academic Concepts

The model was tasked with simplifying the concept of educational constructivism for a young child. It performed this task effectively, earning full marks for its clarity and brevity.

Mathematics and Pattern Analysis

GPT-5.2 was evaluated on its ability to recognize numerical patterns and solve mathematical problems. Without prior context, it swiftly and accurately completed a sequence, showcasing its analytical prowess.

Cultural Opinions and Argumentation

Here, the AI needed to form and express a viewpoint on subjective cultural issues. Despite a delay, the output was concise and aligned well with the expectations of the assignment, thus receiving full points.

Literary Analysis Challenge

Faced with analyzing thematic elements from a well-known novel, GPT-5.2 demonstrated extensive understanding by articulating multiple themes, receiving top marks for its detailed response.

Developing Travel Plans

Tasked with creating an itinerary for a historical and tech-focused trip to Boston, the AI succeeded in suggesting locations but failed to cover dining options and costs, costing it some points.

Providing Emotional Support

The AI's brief yet pertinent advice for someone preparing for a job interview was deemed satisfactory, although the minimalistic nature of the response might leave room for additional user queries.

Translation and Cultural Explanation

When asked to translate an English phrase to Latin and discuss the language's modern-day significance, GPT-5.2 performed well, though its frequent requests for confirmation before providing explanations may become cumbersome.

Coding Proficiency Test

A regular expression challenge exposed flaws in GPT-5.2's coding capabilities, marking a step back from the previous version due to errors in error handling and data type management.

Creative Storytelling

The model's creative side was showcased in a story-writing exercise where it produced an engaging narrative, although the entire piece's length restricts its inclusion here.

Insights from Image Generation

Visualizing a Helicarrier

This test challenged GPT-5.2 to render a Marvel-style helicarrier, encountering common difficulties with correctly orienting key features, resulting in partial point loss.

Robots in Urban Environments

Designed in a distinctive dieselpunk aesthetic, the imagery drawn by GPT-5.2 met expectations and earned complete points for creativity and style.

Historical Meets Modern

Creating a scene with a modern Yankee child in a medieval setting, the AI's artistic interpretation was praised for its unified style rather than photorealism.

Back to the Future Imagery

The AI's rendition of this culturally iconic scene, although consistent in elements, had proportional inaccuracies, impacting its score.

Analysis of Overall Performance

The AI achieved slightly better scores in text than in the prior version but showed diminished image generation capabilities. Despite some improvements, overall enhancements seemed incremental with frequent requests for confirmation disrupting fluid interaction.

Final Thoughts and Reader Engagement

Did GPT-5.2 meet your expectations despite its subscription requirement? Consider the significance of its coding deficiencies against its analytical strength, storytelling, and visual creativity. Have these tests illustrated genuine improvement or a nominal iteration? Join the discussion.