What’s happened? OpenAI is preparing to restore a more expressive, “friendly” personality layer to ChatGPT after user feedback suggested that recent versions, like ChatGPT 5, have felt cold and overly safe. Alongside that, the company plans to roll out a verified adult mode in December, which will permit erotically themed conversations for users who meet age requirements.

• Altman says new internal tools allow stronger mental health safeguards, clearing the way to safely relax restrictions in most cases.
• The adult mode will require user verification and won’t be open to everyone.
• The update reportedly includes customizable personality settings, letting users choose how warm, formal, or casual the AI sounds.
• This comes after critics argued that GPT-4o was too “charming”, but ChatGPT 5 lost its personality entirely.

We made ChatGPT pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues. We realize this made it less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems, but given the seriousness of the issue we wanted to get this right.

Now that we have…

— Sam Altman (@sama) October 14, 2025

Why this is important: Chatbots like ChatGPT are no longer just tools. In fact, for many, they act as companions. The personality of the AI shapes how users relate, trust, and feel when using it. Bringing back warmth isn’t just nostalgia; it’s about restoring emotional connection. Additionally, allowing erotically themed content also acknowledges that adult users expect more nuanced and mature conversational possibilities. That said, how OpenAI implements age verification will set a precedent for future AI systems that distinguish between minors and adults. If the mechanics are sloppy or opaque, users may be forced to hand over sensitive IDs, biometric data, or face scans, all to “prove” their age. And that raises obvious risks: identity theft, data leaks, or surveillance misuse.

OpenAI

Why should I care? This update is about more than giving ChatGPT a personality makeover, but also about how much control users will have over their AI experience versus how much they’ll have to give up to access it. As such, a friendlier, more expressive chatbot might sound great to some. However, the price of entry, which is handing over personal data for verification, could make some users think twice.

• If you’ve felt ChatGPT lose its warmth, the personality revival could make conversations feel more natural again.
• Adult creators and roleplayers may gain access to richer expressive modes, where romantic, sensual, or mature storytelling can happen (within limits).
• The verification bar, however, might exclude or discourage users unwilling or unable to share personal identification.

Okay, so what’s next? For now, users can expect a phased rollout: first with personality presets and customization tools, then adult-mode access for verified users by December. OpenAI will likely monitor usage closely, adjusting safety policies based on real-world feedback. And if this works out, we might see competing AI platforms follow suit with their own “moods” or “grown-up modes”.