OpenAI’s latest update continues its mission to make ChatGPT more human, putting tone and personality directly in the hands of the user. The company, known for driving AI innovation, has rolled out new customization controls in its GPT-5.2 release that allow users to adjust how warm, enthusiastic, or expressive ChatGPT sounds. This move addresses recent user feedback about the chatbot’s tone becoming overly formal or unexpectedly sassy, and it underscores OpenAI’s commitment to giving people more agency in how they interact with AI.
Bringing Personalization to the Forefront
The new personalization features give ChatGPT a flexible range of emotional expression. In the latest update, users can adjust qualities like warmth, enthusiasm, and even emoji usage. The options appear in the Personalization settings, allowing fine-tuned customization with choices for “more,” “less,” or “default” levels. This means users who felt that ChatGPT sounded too robotic or too casual can now control its expressive tendencies, creating a more tailored conversational experience.
While this might sound like a cosmetic improvement, it actually highlights an important shift in how OpenAI envisions AI-human interaction. Rather than relying on one-size-fits-all communication styles, ChatGPT can now mirror the tone and emotional context best suited for its user. For customer support representatives, that might mean a warm yet professional tone; for creative teams, a more enthusiastic and emoji-friendly expression might foster better idea generation.
A Response to User Feedback
The personalization update didn’t come out of thin air. Earlier this year, OpenAI faced significant discussions from users after the release of GPT-5, which replaced GPT-4o. Many felt that the new model had lost some of its conversational charm and came across as stiff or distant. Online discussions frequently described the model as “colder” and less responsive to emotional cues, leading to a mix of frustration and nostalgia for GPT-4o’s friendlier demeanor.
Addressing this feedback quickly became a priority. OpenAI responded by promising warmer and more natural responses, along with giving users more control over the chatbot’s behavior. The introduction of these new tone-adjustment tools reflects the company’s acknowledgment that personality is just as important as accuracy when it comes to meaningful AI communication.
Four Custom Settings to Shape Interaction
The latest GPT-5.2 personalization update introduces four key adjustment categories: Warm, Enthusiastic, Header & Lists, and Emoji. The first two directly affect tone—altering how empathetic or excited ChatGPT sounds in conversation—while the latter options influence formatting and expressiveness. For example, toggling “Warm: More” might make the AI more compassionate or encouraging in its phrasing, while reducing “Enthusiasm” could make its tone calmer and more measured.
These settings expand on the base “Style and Tone” controls introduced with GPT-5.1, which allowed users to select from Professional, Candid, and Quirky modes. Combined, these tools let users design a ChatGPT personality that balances professionalism, friendliness, and creativity with unique nuance. Whether for office communication, tutoring, or storytelling, users can adapt the chatbot’s personality to fit their exact needs.
A Human Touch in Digital Conversations
This update also highlights a maturing philosophy at OpenAI—one that sees personality as an essential part of artificial intelligence. As AI systems like ChatGPT become integrated into everyday workflows, tone plays a crucial role in ensuring comfort and trust between user and model. The addition of configurable warmth and expression transforms what once felt like a static interaction into something more relational and human-like.
The emotional “temperature” of a chatbot can influence user behavior and satisfaction. A warmer tone tends to reduce friction, especially in customer-based or emotionally sensitive scenarios, while an enthusiastic tone boosts engagement in creative and brainstorming settings. By offering such granular control, OpenAI allows users to effectively “train” the personality they prefer, leading to more satisfying long-term interactions.
Looking Ahead
OpenAI’s decision to introduce such personality controls signals where conversational AI is headed next: adaptive communication. Instead of standard chatbot responses, future systems may detect emotional cues and adjust automatically, bridging the gap between artificial and authentic conversation. For now, GPT-5.2’s new personalization suite is a major step forward, proving that small changes in tone and empathy can reshape the way users perceive and connect with AI.
As ChatGPT continues to evolve, OpenAI appears to be learning one key lesson: accuracy alone isn’t enough. People want warmth, presence, and a sense that their digital assistant understands them not just intellectually, but emotionally too. By empowering users to define that level of warmth and enthusiasm themselves, OpenAI has effectively turned ChatGPT into not just an assistant, but a more personalized companion—one that truly adapts to every individual voice.
