OpenAI rolled back a GPT-4o update for ChatGPT that caused the chatbot’s default personality to be “overly flattering or agreeable – often described as sycophantic” and that “sycophantic interactions can be uncomfortable, unsettling, and cause distress,” the company says in a blog post.

We are actively testing new fixes to address the issue,” the company said. Those fixes might let users choose from “multiple default personalities.”

CEO Sam Altman announced via an X post that OpenAI "started rolling back" the update due to user complaints about its responses. In some examples, reacting to somewhat ridiculous test prompts, ChatGPT encouraged risky medical choices,