Overview
- The update introduces two options—GPT-5.1 Instant for a warmer, instruction-following style and GPT-5.1 Thinking for adaptive, longer reasoning with clearer explanations.
- ChatGPT will auto-route most queries to the model best suited to the task, with API access arriving this week and Enterprise and Edu receiving a seven‑day early-access toggle.
- Personality presets expand to eight styles, including Professional, Candid, and Quirky, and OpenAI is testing settings to fine‑tune warmth, concision, and emoji use across chats.
- OpenAI says GPT-5.1 improves results on benchmarks such as AIME 2025 and Codeforces, and adds adaptive reasoning to keep simple replies fast while thinking longer on complex prompts.
- The launch lands as families pursue legal action over alleged chatbot grooming and harm, including a wrongful‑death suit against Character.ai, which declined to comment.