OpenAI's GPT-5.1 Arrives With Expanded Personality Presets

Written by Aaron S.,

Editor-In-Chief

Last Updated: November 13, 2025

Key Takeaways

OpenAI launched GPT-5.1 with two versions, Instant and Thinking, designed to make ChatGPT more responsive, clearer, and easier to interact with;
Users will see GPT-5.1 this week, while older GPT-5 models stay available for three months so people can compare performance before switching;
The update adds new conversation tones and tests style-adjustment tools, which reflect ChatGPT’s use by more than 800 million people.

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On November 12, OpenAI released its latest artificial intelligence (AI) model, GPT-5.1, a follow-up to GPT-5, launched in August.

The company describes the update as an improvement meant to make ChatGPT more responsive and easier to talk to.

The update comes with two new versions: GPT-5.1 Instant and GPT-5.1 Thinking.

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According to OpenAI, the Instant version is designed to sound more approachable and to handle instructions more reliably. The Thinking version is presented as clearer in its explanations, quicker with simple tasks, and steadier when working through longer or more complex requests.

Users will begin seeing GPT-5.1 in ChatGPT this week. The older GPT-5 options will remain available for about three months in a separate "Legacy" list before being removed.

This gives people time to compare the older models with the new ones and adjust if they prefer the earlier behavior.

A major part of the release is an expansion of the model’s conversation styles. OpenAI is adding several preset tones, including Default, Professional, Friendly, Candid, Quirky, Efficient, Nerdy, and Cynical.

The company also plans to test a new feature that lets users adjust the model’s style directly in their settings.

OpenAI said these changes reflect how many people rely on ChatGPT in daily life. As Fidji Simo, the company’s CEO of Applications, noted in a Substack post, more than 800 million people use ChatGPT.

Recently, OpenAI acquired Software Applications, Inc., the company behind Sky, an AI assistant for Mac computers. What is the goal of the acquisition? Read the full story.