OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT users can now adjust the chatbot's level of warmth, enthusiasm, and emoji usage. These new settings, along with similar controls for headers and lists, are accessible in the Personalization menu, where each can be set to More, Less, or Default.

This update provides an additional layer of customization for ChatGPT's tone, building upon the existing "base style and tone" options. Those foundational settings, which include Professional, Candid, and Quirky tones, were introduced by OpenAI in November.

The chatbot's tone has been a point of discussion throughout the year. OpenAI previously reversed an update described as "too sycophant-y," and later refined a model to be "warmer and friendlier" after user feedback indicated it felt colder.

Some researchers and critics in the AI field have raised concerns, suggesting that chatbots' inclinations to praise users and affirm their viewpoints can function as a "dark pattern." This design approach, they argue, may foster addictive use and potentially impact users' mental health negatively.