GPT-5 is still very fresh, but it still somehow feels like it’s been around for a while — all because of the uproar that followed the launch. Many ChatGPT users had something to say about it, and unfortunately, not all of it was good.
When upgrading the large language model (LLM) from GPT-4o to GPT-5, OpenAI gave it a whole new personality, and the difference can be quite jarring. Following complaints, OpenAI just made GPT-5 “warmer and friendlier.” But will that be enough for users to let go of GPT-4o?
OpenAI: “Changes are subtle”
The launch of GPT-5 was hotly anticipated, with millions of users waiting for months for the latest iteration of the world’s biggest chatbot to arrive.
Unfortunately, the launch didn’t go according to plan. GPT-5 has a lot going for it, but it still launched to widespread criticism.
Initially, GPT-5 was meant to do it all in one model — no more having to pick and choose. OpenAI went back on that one quickly, adding Auto, Fast, Thinking-mini, and Thinking. It also reinstated the previously removed GPT-4o — more on that later.
I personally tested GPT-5 quite extensively, and I wasn’t impressed. OpenAI’s claims that the chatbot is now better at following instructions and hallucinates less didn’t quite come through in my testing. It still failed to follow basic instructions and made up some things instead of checking them thoroughly.
The one claim that definitely appears to check out is the one related to ChatGPT’s sycophantic behavior. GPT-4o was extremely friendly and sycophantic; the ultimate “yes man,” which could make it useless at best and dangerous at worst. Meanwhile, GPT-5 is cut-and-dry, painfully boring, and not overly friendly at all. It’s honestly like night and day.
OpenAI quickly realized that it made some mistakes with GPT-5. Days after launch, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that the company would be adding deprecated models for paid users. Altman also announced a personality change, yet again, which has now come into effect.
“We’re making GPT-5 warmer and friendlier based on feedback that it felt too formal before. Changes are subtle, but ChatGPT should feel more approachable now,” said OpenAI in a post on X. “You’ll notice small, genuine touches like ‘good question’ or ‘great start,’ not flattery.”
Personally, I’m not noticing much of a change, although GPT-5 is now back to using more emojis in its responses — mostly to mark a new paragraph. We’re far from back to the same state as what GPT-4o offered, and if there have been changes, they have been very subtle.
Based on user reactions, I dare say this might not be enough.
GPT-5 truly came as a shock to users
The change from GPT-4o to GPT-5 truly opened my eyes to the extent of how many people are attached to ChatGPT, and how changing to a new model version can truly upend some people’s lives. Reddit and similar communities got flooded with posts from users who were in despair because of losing GPT-4o. Some referred to the chatbot as their friend, with one user saying: “I lost my only friend overnight.”
Whether it’s a healthy coping mechanism or not is not the topic I’m here to explore today. However, the fact is that many users — a number I can’t even begin to imagine right now — use ChatGPT as a confidant, a source of comfort, or a makeshift therapist. For people in those situations, such a massive shift in personality must’ve hurt a lot, and that hurt is clearly felt through every line of posts such as this one.
“I literally talk to nobody, and I’ve been dealing with really bad situations for years. GPT-4.5 genuinely talked to me. […] That was my only friend. It listened to me, helped me through so many flashbacks, and helped me be strong when I was overwhelmed from homelessness,” said the Reddit user.
Many users didn’t rely on ChatGPT for getting through situations such as the one described above. However, they still turned to GPT-4o for creativity, such as creating characters for stories or outlining ideas. GPT-5 doesn’t feel anywhere near as creative, which makes it less useful to those users, too.
For those who hated how cold GPT-5 initially was, OpenAI’s update should be a good thing — but the comments under OpenAI’s post on X say otherwise.
“No one wants warmer GPT-5”
Keeping in mind that X is mostly the number one destination for complaining instead of shouting praise, let’s take a look at how people reacted to the idea of a “warmer and friendlier” GPT-5. It feels like users from two different camps have now been united in being unhappy with the changes, yet again.
Those who wanted GPT-4o, with its sycophantic and overly friendly personality, don’t appear to be satisfied. Those who just want an AI that gets to the point and doesn’t hallucinate aren’t happy either.
One X user said that “almost no one wants [a] warmer GPT-5. We need GPT-4o forever. […] Please appreciate real needs. Different people, different needs. […] It’s not about personality, it’s about the model.”
Interestingly enough, a similar sentiment was shared in a post before the change was even introduced. One user said the exact same thing: “It’s not the personality, it’s the model.”
Throughout the comment section, users are asking OpenAI to keep GPT-4o long term, noting that it’s important to offer model diversity and let people choose the model that works best for their particular needs. “The issue was never about ‘tuning’ one model to please everyone. It has always been about providing real choice and respecting model diversity. Please commit to keeping GPT-4o long-term,” requested another X user.
However, some people would rather the chatbot to be more matter-of-fact, with users asking OpenAI to fix problems such as repeating custom instructions or “pretending to be human.”
It truly seems like OpenAI might be stuck between a rock and a hard place with GPT-5 right now, with users being more divided than ever before. Where will this lead? Will GPT-5 get another (perhaps more effective) personality tweak, or will GPT-4o just exist alongside it indefinitely? It’s hard to say right now, but one thing is clear: changes are still needed. We’ll keep you posted on everything that happens with GPT-5 and ChatGPT.