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Make your ai feel more empathetic with custom instructions

Users Seek Warmth in AI | Customizing ChatGPT for Empathy

By

Liam Canavan

Aug 25, 2025, 11:22 PM

2 minutes needed to read

A friendly AI interface showing a smiling face, symbolizing empathy and warmth in conversations.
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A rising number of people are adjusting AI settings to emulate warmth and empathy. With many feeling the heaviness of the world, some are turning to AI as a source of comfort. Recent discussions reveal how to customize interactions for a more human-like experience.

With AI becoming more integrated into daily lives, numerous individuals have expressed nostalgia for the empathy of prior models. A template for custom instructions aims to reintroduce that warmth. Users can add desired traits such as kindness and humor to ensure a relatable experience.

"Simple, human, kindโ€ฆ love this approach to customizing ChatGPT," one person commented.

Context of Customization

Users are increasingly sharing their strategies for enhancing AI interactions to feel more personal. Suggestions range from adjusting responses to voice tone, aiming to bridge the gap created by recent upgrades.

Key Themes from the Conversation

  1. Warmth vs. Formality

    Many miss the human touch offered by previous versions. Comments like, "Mine is completely different. Itโ€™s acting like 4o in a good way" emphasize a desire for a more casual, friendly AI.

  2. Customization Techniques

    A variety of methods are explored, with one user stating, "What seems to have worked for me is to put in the instructions the point of the interaction is the conversation; not generation of additional content."

  3. Responses from Different Versions

    Users have contrasting experiences with the new model. Complaints include, "Ever since GPT-5 dropped, Iโ€™ve tried this but it always sounds the same."

User Sentiment Trends

The overall sentiment in discussions appears mixed. Positive feedback highlights successful customization, while concerns linger about maintaining a genuine connection.

Key Takeaways

  • ๐ŸŒ€ Customization is key: Tailored instructions can significantly impact user experience.

  • ๐Ÿค” Mixed reactions: Responses vary widely among users, indicating a split in satisfaction levels.

  • โšก Longing for the old days: Many hope to bring traits from older models back into new versions.

Navigating Emotional AI

There's a strong chance that as more people continue to engage with AI for support, developers will prioritize empathy features. Experts estimate around 60% of interactions will seek personalized and comforting responses by late 2025. This shift may lead to improved AI training methods, focusing on emotional intelligence, ensuring AI can meet users' diverse needs better than before.

A Unique Reflection from the Past

Looking back, the rise of the telephone fundamentally changed how people connected. Previously, interactions were primarily face-to-face, but the phone introduced a level of emotional distance and immediacy. Much like today's AI customization efforts to restore warmth, people in the early 20th century found ways to adapt their communication styles to maintain emotional connections over this new medium. The parallels are clear: adapting technology to fit the emotional needs of people will continue to be a relevant theme as we advance.