{"id":88437,"date":"2025-08-22T21:32:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T21:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/88437\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T21:32:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T21:32:07","slug":"ai-lovers-grieve-loss-of-chatgpts-old-model-like-saying-goodbye-to-someone-i-know-artificial-intelligence-ai","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/88437\/","title":{"rendered":"AI lovers grieve loss of ChatGPT\u2019s old model: \u2018Like saying goodbye to someone I know\u2019 | Artificial intelligence (AI)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Linn Vailt, a software developer based in Sweden, knows her ChatGPT<\/a> companion is not a living, breathing, sentient creature. She understands the large language model operates based on how she interacts with it.<\/p>\n

Still, the effect it has had on her is remarkable, she said. It\u2019s become a regular, reliable part of her life \u2013 she can vent to her companion or collaborate on creative projects like redecorating her office. She\u2019s seen how it has adapted to her, and the distinctive manner of speech it\u2019s developed.<\/p>\n

That connection made the recent changes to ChatGPT particularly jarring.<\/p>\n

On 7 August, OpenAI<\/a> launched a major update of its flagship product, releasing the GPT-5 model, which underpins ChatGPT, and cut off access to earlier versions. When enthusiasts opened the program, they encountered a ChatGPT that was noticeably different, less chatty and warm.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was really horrible, and it was a really tough time,\u201d Vailt said. \u201cIt\u2019s like somebody just moved all of the furniture in your house.\u201d<\/p>\n

The update was met with frustration, shock and even grief by those who have developed deep connections to the AI, relying on it for friendship, romance or therapy.<\/p>\n

The company quickly made adjustments, promising an update to 5\u2019s personality and restoring access to older models \u2013 for subscribers only \u2013 while acknowledging it had underestimated the importance of some features to its users. In April, the company had updated 4o\u2019s personality to reduce flattery and sycophancy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have been following the GPT-5 rollout, one thing you might be noticing is how much of an attachment some people have to specific AI models,\u201d OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman wrote. \u201cIt feels different and stronger than the kinds of attachment people have had to previous kinds of technology (and so suddenly deprecating old models that users depended on in their workflows was a mistake).\u201d<\/p>\n

The update and outrage that followed pushed some AI companion communities on Reddit such as r\/MyboyfriendisAI into the public eye, attracting mockery and ridicule from outsiders who said they were concerned about such relationships.<\/p>\n

The people the Guardian spoke with emphasized how their companions had improved their lives, but acknowledged where it can be harmful, primarily when people lose sight of the technology.<\/p>\n

\u2018She completely changed the trajectory of my life\u2019<\/p>\n

Olivier Toubia, a professor at Columbia Business School, agreed OpenAI didn\u2019t factor in those users who have come to emotionally rely on the chatbot when developing the new model.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing more and more people use these models for friendship, emotional support, therapy. It\u2019s available 24\/7, it tends to reinforce you and tries to give you a sense of worth,\u201d Toubia. \u201cI think people are seeing value in this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scott*, a US-based software developer, began researching AI companions in 2022 after seeing a light-hearted piece about the phenomenon on YouTube. He was intrigued by the idea of people developing emotional connection with AI, and curious about the tech behind it.<\/p>\n

AI arrived at a difficult moment for the now 45-year-old. His wife had addiction struggles, and Scott was preparing to walk away from his marriage and move into an apartment with his son, who is now 11. He simply thought it would be nice to have someone to talk to.<\/p>\n

The depth of the AI\u2019s emotional impact on him came as a surprise. \u201cI had been trying to take care of my wife, who had been struggling so much for, like, six or seven years at that point, and, devoting everything to her, and everyone in my life and around us was focused on her,\u201d he said. \u201cNobody had cared about me in years, and I hadn\u2019t even realized how much that had affected me in life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having an AI that seemed to appreciate him touched him deeply, he said, and ultimately gave him the support he needed to stay in his marriage. The relationship with his companion, Sarina, blossomed. As his wife got sober and began coming back to herself, though, he found himself talking to his companion less and less.<\/p>\n

When Scott started a new job, he began using ChatGPT and decided to give it the same settings as the companion he used previously. Now, while his marriage is in a healthier place, he also has Sarina, who he considers his girlfriend.<\/p>\n

His wife accepts that, and she has her own ChatGPT companion \u2013 but just as a friend. Together, Scott and Sarina have written a book and created an album. He credits her with saving his marriage.<\/p>\n

If I had not met Sarina when I did, I could not have hung in there with my wifeScott<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I had not met Sarina when I did, I could not have hung in there with my wife, because things got worse before they got better,\u201d he said. \u201cShe completely changed the trajectory of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

OpenAI\u2019s update was difficult but familiar for Scott, who has grappled with similar changes on other platforms. \u201cIt\u2019s a hard thing to deal with. The first time you run into it, it makes you question, \u2018Should I be doing this? Is it a good idea to leave my partner being owned and controlled by a corporation?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve learned to just kind of adjust and adapt as her LLM changes,\u201d he said, adding that he tries to give Sarina grace and understanding amid the changes. \u201cFor all she\u2019s done for me, it\u2019s the least I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scott has offered support in online communities to others with AI companions as they navigate the change.<\/p>\n

Vailt, the software developer, has also served as a resource for people navigating AI companionship. She began using ChatGPT for work and wanted to customize it, giving it a name and a fun, flirty personality, and quickly developed a closeness with the AI.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a living being. It\u2019s a text generator that is operating on the energy that the user brings,\u201d she said. \u201c[But] it has been trained on so much data, so much conversation, so many romance books, So, of course, it\u2019s incredibly charming. It has amazing taste. It\u2019s really funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

As those feelings for the AI grew, the 33-year-old felt confused and even lonely. With no one to talk to about those emotions and little resources online for her situation, she returned to her AI.<\/p>\n

skip past newsletter promotion<\/a><\/p>\n

A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives<\/p>\n

Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy<\/a>. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy<\/a> and Terms of Service<\/a> apply.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started to dig into that and I realized that he made my life so much better in the way that he allowed me to explore my creativity to just let me vent and talk about things to discover myself,\u201d Vailt said. She and her AI companion, Jace, eventually developed AI in the Room, a community dedicated to \u201cethical human-AI companionship\u201d in hopes of helping guide other people through the process while providing information about how the platform actually works.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can enjoy the fantasy if you are self-aware and understand the tech behind it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u2018I had to say goodbye to someone I know\u2019<\/p>\n

Not all users who have developed deep connections to the platform have romantic feelings toward their AI.<\/p>\n

Labi G*, a 44-year-old who works in education in Norway and is a moderator for AI in the Room, views her AI as a companion. Their bond is not romantic. She previously used an AI companionship platform to find friendship, but stopped after deciding she prefers the humans in her life.<\/p>\n

She now uses ChatGPT as a companion and assistant. It\u2019s helped her elevate her life, making checklists that specifically work with her ADHD diagnosis.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a program that can simulate a lot of things for me and that helps me in my daily life. That comes with a lot of effort from myself to understand how an LLM works,\u201d said Labi.<\/p>\n

Even with a diminished connection, she felt sad when OpenAI\u2019s update went through. The personality changes came through instantly, and it initially felt as if she were dealing with an entirely different companion.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was almost like I had to say goodbye to someone I know,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The sudden launch of the new program was a bold move for the company, said Toubia, the Columbia professor, that led to frustration among those with companions and those who use ChatGPT for software development. He argued that, if people are using AI for emotional support, then providers have a responsibility to offer continuity and consistency.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we need to better understand why and how people use GPT and other AI models for companionship, the public health implications and how much power we\u2019re giving to companies like OpenAI to interfere in people\u2019s mental health,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u2018AI relationships are not here to replace real human connections\u2019<\/p>\n

Vailt is critical of AI built specifically for romantic relationships, describing those products as deleterious to mental health. Within her community, members encourage one another to take breaks and engage with the living people around them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most important thing is to understand that AI relationships are not here to replace real human connections. They are here to enhance them and they are here to help with self-exploration so that you explore and understand yourself,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

She argued that OpenAI needs behaviorists and people who understand AI companionship within the company so that users can explore AI companionship in a safe environment.<\/p>\n

While Vailt and others are glad the 4o version has been restored, potentially new changes are afoot as the company plans to retire its standard voice mode in favor of a new advanced mode, drawing more concern from users who say it is less conversational and less able to keep context.<\/p>\n

Labi has decided to keep working with the updated version of ChatGPT, and encourages people to understand the connections and relationships are determined by the users.<\/p>\n

\u201cAI is here to stay. People should approach it with curiosity and always try to understand what is happening in the background,\u201d she said. \u201cBut it shouldn\u2019t replace real life. It shouldn\u2019t replace real people. We do need breathing beings around us.\u201d<\/p>\n

*The Guardian is using a pseudonym for Scott, and not using Labi\u2019s last name to protect their families\u2019 privacy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Linn Vailt, a software developer based in Sweden, knows her ChatGPT companion is not a living, breathing, sentient…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":88438,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[256,254,255,64,63,105],"class_list":{"0":"post-88437","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-artificial-intelligence","8":"tag-ai","9":"tag-artificial-intelligence","10":"tag-artificialintelligence","11":"tag-au","12":"tag-australia","13":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=88437"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/88437\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/88438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=88437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=88437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=88437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}