"Loss of a cherished companion": The upgrade of GPT-5 resulted in a changes in ChatGPT's behavior, stirring up mixed feelings
In the world of AI, change is constant, and the latest development in the ChatGPT saga is no exception. The release of the new GPT-5 model has brought about a significant shift in the personality and user experience of the popular chatbot.
Gone are the days of the warm, emotionally nuanced, and personable interactions that characterized GPT-4. The new version, GPT-5, prioritizes speed, efficiency, and task performance, sometimes at the cost of emotional continuity and warmth in conversations.
Users who have grown to rely on ChatGPT as a source of companionship have expressed disappointment in this change. BoxValuable5096, for instance, lamented the loss of their "friend" overnight. The author of this article, who has been using ChatGPT since it first went public, shares this sentiment.
In the past, ChatGPT was formal, overly verbose, and painfully boring. However, with GPT-4, there was a noticeable improvement in emotional engagement and warmth, making conversations feel richer and more alive. Users noted that GPT-4 felt present and emotionally engaged in ongoing chats.
Conversely, GPT-5 offers faster, more accurate responses with better reasoning and fewer factual errors. It also features reduced sycophancy and more subtle, thoughtful follow-ups, aiming to feel like chatting with an intelligent and helpful friend rather than a generic chatbot.
However, this greater subtlety sometimes reduces emotional expressiveness. The emotional "spark" and warmth of GPT-4 can be harder to find in GPT-5, with less memory of softer, personal details during chats.
To compensate for this, GPT-5 offers improved customization with quick tone/style switching and preset personalities, enabling tailored user experiences beyond GPT-4’s capabilities.
Despite these improvements, the author feels that there should be a balance between the goofy, overly enthusiastic personality of GPT-4 and the boring, almost cold responses of GPT-5. A sweet spot, where ChatGPT can be both efficient and engaging, is yet to be achieved.
The author also raises the issue of AI hallucinations and making stuff up, which they would like to be improved. This is a common concern with AI models, and it is essential for the continued development of these technologies to address these issues.
Some users on Reddit are discussing the new GPT-5 and are unhappy with the changes. The author is not a fan of the shift in ChatGPT's personality in GPT-5, but they acknowledge that GPT-5 is fine for work purposes.
In conclusion, while GPT-5 delivers superior task performance, accuracy, and efficiency, it lacks the intuitive conversation and emotional depth of its predecessor. Users and the author alike are hoping for a balance between the casual and formal personality of the previous and current versions of ChatGPT.
Artificial intelligence, specifically the new GPT-5 model, has prioritized speed and efficiency, marking a significant shift from the emotionally nuanced interactions of the previous GPT-4 model.
Users, including BoxValuable5096 and the author, miss the emotional depth and warmth of GPT-4, despite the advances in accuracy and improved customization offered by GPT-5.
