OpenAI launches GPT-5.1 with personality controls

Update introduces adaptive reasoning and six personality presets, addressing complaints about GPT-5’s colder tone after its August launch.

OpenAI has unveiled its latest iteration of the GPT-5 family: GPT‑5.1. Rolled out on 12 November 2025, the new update enters the scene as a direct response to user feedback that its predecessor, GPT‑5 (launched in August 2025), felt “cold”, overly formal and less engaging than many users had hoped. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Why the update was needed

The GPT-5 launch was notable for its technical capabilities across writing, coding and reasoning. But many users voiced dissatisfaction with its conversational tone. It was criticised for being less personable and more robotic compared with earlier versions of ChatGPT. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

Recognising these concerns, OpenAI openly described the new release as a shift not only in intelligence, but also in communication style: “We heard clearly from users that great AI should not only be smart, but also enjoyable to talk to.” :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

What’s new in GPT-5.1

The update brings two distinct models under the GPT-5.1 banner: Instant and Thinking. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

• GPT-5.1 Instant: This is the most-used variant. It has been tuned to be “warmer, more intelligent, and better at following your instructions”. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
• GPT-5.1 Thinking: Designed for deeper tasks, this variant adapts its thinking time based on task complexity—faster on simple tasks, more thorough on complex ones. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}

Behind the scenes, GPT-5.1 introduces adaptive reasoning: the model dynamically decides when to “pause and think” before responding, improving accuracy without sacrificing speed. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}

Addressing user criticism

The launch of GPT-5.1 can be seen as OpenAI’s acknowledgement of the feedback surrounding GPT-5—in particular that while GPT-5 featured strong capability improvements, it lacked the conversational warmth and user-familiarity that had become part of prior versions. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}

By giving users control of tone, and by improving for both speed and explanation clarity, OpenAI is signalling that it cares as much about “how” the language model interacts as “what” it can do. Reviewers note that the move is less about radical new capability and more about refinement of experience. :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}

Availability & rollout plan

The rollout begins with paid tiers—Pro, Plus, Go and Business users—and will then expand to free and logged-out users. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}

The older GPT-5 models (Instant and Thinking) will remain available via a “legacy” menu for approximately three months for paid subscribers, giving users time to compare and adapt. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}

What this means for users

If you’re a regular user of ChatGPT or an organisation using it for writing, coding or customer-facing tasks, here’s what to keep in mind:

• Expect your conversations with ChatGPT to feel less formal and more natural-language, especially if you pick a “Friendly” or “Quirky” preset.
• If you have specific workflow needs (e.g., technical explanations, concise communications, playful tone), you’ll now have a menu of tone options to choose from.
• Enterprises and businesses may find value in the “Professional” or “Efficient” presets for branding consistency.
• Because the “Thinking” model varies its response time by task complexity, performance may feel more intuitive: faster for quick questions, deeper for heavy tasks.
• Like any major update, it’s wise to test prompts you use regularly and check for changes in tone or output—especially if you rely on specific behaviours from the model.

In short, GPT-5.1 appears to be more of an evolution than a revolution—it keeps the strong foundations of GPT-5 while addressing the “human factor” that users felt was missing. If OpenAI’s message is correct, you won’t just get sharper responses—you’ll get responses that feel more like a helpful conversation partner.

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