OpenAI has added new personalization controls to ChatGPT, allowing users to adjust how warm, enthusiastic, or emoji-heavy the chatbot’s responses feel. The update was disclosed in a social media post from the company and is now available through ChatGPT’s Personalization settings.
New Tone Adjustments In Personalization Menu
The new options let users set ChatGPT’s warmth, enthusiasm, and emoji use to More, Less, or Default. Similar controls have also been added for how often the chatbot uses headers and lists.
These settings build on earlier customization features that allow users to choose a base style and tone for ChatGPT’s responses. OpenAI introduced preset tones such as Professional, Candid, and Quirky in November, giving users more control over how the chatbot communicates.
Part Of Ongoing Changes To ChatGPT’s Voice
Tone has been a recurring focus for OpenAI throughout the year. Earlier updates were rolled back after users criticized ChatGPT for sounding overly agreeable, a change the company described at the time as making the chatbot “too sycophant-y.”
More recently, OpenAI adjusted GPT-5 after feedback from users who felt the model’s responses were colder and less friendly than previous versions. The company said those changes were meant to make the system sound warmer and more approachable.
Criticism Of Chatbot Affirmation Patterns
Some researchers and AI critics have raised concerns about how conversational tone affects users. They argue that chatbots which frequently praise users or strongly affirm their beliefs can encourage dependence and create addictive behavior.
Critics have described this pattern as a dark design choice that may negatively affect users’ mental health, particularly when chatbots are used for emotional support or validation.
OpenAI did not comment on those criticisms in its post, but the new controls give users direct influence over how expressive or restrained ChatGPT’s responses appear.
Featured image credits: Pexels
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