Auto‑Routing Spreads Powerful AI

By defaulting users into an 'Auto' mode that routes prompts to the right model, GPT‑5 reduces confusion and cost barriers and quietly upgrades many sessions to top reasoning models. Early data show Reasoner use jumped from 7% to 24% among paying users, with free users rising to ~7% as routing and limited quotas kick in. This design shift elevates the average capability available to ordinary users without them choosing expert settings. — If defaults and routing democratize high‑end AI, policymakers and institutions should plan for rapid capability diffusion and its impacts on education, work, and information quality.