OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has confirmed that the company plans to restore ChatGPT’s original personality in an upcoming GPT-5 update, following significant user backlash over recent changes to the AI assistant. The announcement comes after months of complaints that ChatGPT had become less helpful and more restrictive following updates that made the system more cautious about responding to certain requests. This development highlights the delicate balance AI companies must maintain between safety guardrails and user satisfaction.
According to Business Insider’s report, Altman acknowledged the criticism during a recent interview, stating that OpenAI had “overcorrected” with its safety measures. The personality restoration is expected to arrive with GPT-5 in early 2025, potentially alongside the release of GPT-4o’s successor. This timeline suggests OpenAI is taking user feedback seriously while working on its next-generation models, though the specific nature of the personality adjustments remains unclear. The situation underscores the ongoing tension between making AI systems both safe and useful.
The backlash against ChatGPT’s personality changes represents a critical moment in consumer AI adoption, as users increasingly demand AI assistants that feel natural and helpful rather than overly cautious. Competitors like Anthropic’s Claude and Google’s Gemini have been positioning themselves as alternatives during this period of user dissatisfaction with ChatGPT. As OpenAI prepares for its GPT-5 release, the industry will be watching closely to see how the company balances its safety commitments with the user experience improvements Altman has promised.