OpenAI is bringing 4 new 'personalities' to ChatGPT to reduce sycophancy
As part of today's GPT-5 announcement, OpenAI also revealed that it's bringing four new personality options to ChatGPT.
On Thursday, OpenAI revealed its newest foundational large-language model, GPT-5. The new model from OpenAI integrates many ChatGPT features and reasoning models into a single system, making it easier for users to conduct deep research, create custom applications, and complete tasks.
In a blog post, OpenAI said users will also have access to four personality options for the AI chatbot: Cynic, Robot, Listener, and Nerd.
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"We’re also launching a research preview of four new preset personalities for all ChatGPT users, made possible by the improvements on steerability. These personalities, available initially for text chat and coming later to Voice, let you set how ChatGPT interacts—whether concise and professional, thoughtful and supportive, or a bit sarcastic—without writing custom prompts."
OpenAI says these new personalities are opt-in. They're also adjustable, letting users fine-tune the chatbot's personality to their needs.
Critically, OpenAI says these new ChatGPT personalities will help address the sycophancy problem that plagued recent releases from the AI company.
The most recent iterations of ChatGPT developed a deserved reputation as a suck up. That proved to be very problematic, with some users reporting that ChatGPT encouraged delusions and worsened mental health crises, as the New York Times reported. Combined with the high hallucination rates of some ChatGPT models, it was a recipe for a poor user experience.
"All of these new personalities meet or exceed our bar on internal evals for reducing sycophancy," reads the blog post.
"Overall, GPT‑5 is less effusively agreeable, uses fewer unnecessary emojis, and is more subtle and thoughtful in follow‑ups compared to GPT‑4o," the post states. "It should feel less like 'talking to AI' and more like chatting with a helpful friend with PhD‑level intelligence."
As of this writing, GPT-5 is not yet available, though it will be rolling out today.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
Topics Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT OpenAI
Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men's product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl.
Tim studied print journalism at the University of Southern California. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He's currently working on his second novel, a science-fiction book.
