GPT-5 vs Claude Opus 4.1

OpenAI's GPT-5 and Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.1 represent the cutting edge of AI language models, each with distinct strengths. GPT-5 demonstrates superior performance in mathematical reasoning and coding benchmarks, with faster inference speeds that make it ideal for real-time applications. Its context window of 128,000 tokens handles extensive documents efficiently, while maintaining consistent quality across diverse tasks. Claude Opus 4.1 counters with exceptional safety alignment and nuanced understanding of complex ethical scenarios. It excels in creative writing and maintains more consistent personality traits across conversations. Cost-wise, Claude Opus 4.1 typically offers better value per token, making it attractive for high-volume applications. Both models support multimodal inputs including images and documents, though GPT-5 shows slightly better performance in visual reasoning tasks. Speed differences are notable - GPT-5 averages 20-30% faster response times, crucial for interactive applications. However, Claude Opus 4.1's superior content filtering and safety measures make it preferable for customer-facing applications where brand safety is paramount. The choice often comes down to whether you prioritize raw performance and speed (GPT-5) or safety and cost-effectiveness (Claude Opus 4.1).