GPT-5.1 Launches With Superior Instruction Following

OpenAI has officially launched the GPT-5.1 series, introducing two new models, GPT-5.1 Instant and GPT-5.1 Thinking, that deliver more natural conversational interactions and enhanced reasoning abilities. These updates are now being made available to paying subscribers, with a broader rollout to free users planned for the near future. According to the company, the improvements directly address user feedback, focusing on making AI exchanges feel more intuitive and intelligent.

The widely used GPT-5.1 Instant model now defaults to a warmer, more conversational tone. Improved instruction following ensures the model stays on topic and directly answers the questions posed, reducing irrelevant or tangential replies. It also incorporates adaptive reasoning, allowing it to decide when to take extra time to think through complex queries. This results in more detailed and accurate responses while still maintaining quick reply speeds for simpler tasks.

GPT-5.1 Thinking, the advanced reasoning model, has been optimized to adjust its thinking time more precisely. On a typical range of ChatGPT tasks, it now operates roughly twice as fast on the quickest tasks and about twice as slowly on the most demanding ones compared to its predecessor. Additionally, responses use less jargon and fewer undefined terms, making the model more accessible for professional environments where explaining technical subjects clearly is essential.

Customization has also received a significant upgrade. OpenAI has refined its personality presets to better match common usage patterns. The Default, Friendly (previously called Listener), and Efficient (formerly Robot) options have been updated, and new presets, Professional, Candid, and Quirky, are now available. The original Cynical and Nerdy styles remain accessible through the personalization menu. These settings apply consistently across all models.

Beyond presets, OpenAI is testing new controls that let users fine-tune specific characteristics. You can adjust response conciseness, warmth, scannability, and even emoji frequency directly from your personalization settings. Changes now take effect immediately across all active and future conversations, a notable improvement over the previous system where adjustments only applied to new chats.

The updated GPT-5.1 models also adhere more closely to custom instructions, offering users greater precision in controlling the AI’s tone and behavior.

The rollout begins today for paid users, with free and logged-out users gaining access at a later stage. Enterprise and Education customers receive a seven-day early access option, which is turned off by default. After this period, GPT-5.1 will become the standard ChatGPT model. For the next three months, paid subscribers can still access the earlier GPT-5 models via the legacy dropdown menu, allowing time for comparison and adjustment.

These updates can meaningfully impact daily workflows. Better instruction following means less time spent refining prompts and fewer unexpected or off-topic replies. Adaptive reasoning helps speed up straightforward tasks while dedicating more processing time to complex activities like data analysis or technical explanations.

OpenAI describes this release as a step toward more personalized AI, systems that adapt to individual user preferences and specific tasks. The updated personality styles and tone controls are available starting today, while granular tuning options will be released later this week as an experimental feature to a limited group. Further refinements will be made based on user input and feedback.

(Source: Search Engine Journal)