ChatGPT will soon have personality and will treat 'adult users like adults'

Sam Altman said OpenAI will roll out a more human-like version of ChatGPT in the coming weeks, easing previous safety guardrails and adding age-gated features "like erotica" for verified adults

OpenAI is gearing up to release a new version of ChatGPT in the coming weeks that will respond in a more natural, human-like way while easing many of the restrictions currently in place. The update was confirmed by CEO Sam Altman in a post on X, where he said the company had initially made ChatGPT “pretty restrictive” to safeguard users dealing with mental health challenges but now plans to “safely relax the restrictions in most cases.”

 

According to Altman, the upcoming update will let users customise how ChatGPT behaves — including its tone, level of friendliness, and even the amount of emojis it uses in conversations. “If you want your ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, or use a ton of emoji, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do it,” Altman said, clarifying that these personality traits will only be enabled when users choose to activate them. The goal, he added, is not to maximise engagement but to make the tool more flexible and enjoyable for those who want a more expressive AI companion. 

 

A major change will also arrive later this year. OpenAI plans to introduce age verification in December, which will unlock what Altman described as “mature content, like erotica,” for verified adult users. The company is framing this as part of its broader “treat adult users like adults” principle.

Why the restrictions, and why the change now?

Altman explained that the original limitations were implemented to prevent ChatGPT from worsening mental health issues, particularly in conversations involving distress or self-harm. However, these same restrictions also made the chatbot less engaging for users who had no such concerns. With new safety detection tools and monitoring systems now in place, OpenAI believes it can strike a better balance between responsibility and realism in its responses.

What changes are expected?

• Personality controls: Users may be able to customise how ChatGPT speaks, whether casual, emoji-rich, more human, or friendly.
• Relaxed content moderation: Many topics currently restricted may become acceptable, except in sensitive cases.
• Age-gating: In December, verified adult users may gain access to mature or erotic content—not available in standard accounts.