OpenAI Deploys GPT-5 Instant to Manage Sensitive Interactions

OpenAI is updating GPT-5 Instant so delicate parts of user conversations are routed to that model for faster, more supportive replies. The company says the rollout is underway and that ChatGPT will continue to indicate which model is active when asked. The change arrives alongside other product updates for Sora.

OpenAI is routing sections of conversations it deems sensitive to GPT-5 Instant, aiming to deliver quicker, more thoughtful responses when users may need additional support. The change is rolling out now and is positioned as a modification to how ChatGPT manages delicate dialogues.

What OpenAI announced

In a post on X, the company said that sections of dialogue considered delicate will now be directed to GPT-5 Instant. The move is “designed to ensure quicker, more thoughtful responses for users who may require additional support”, the company said, and confirmed that ChatGPT will continue to make clear which model is active whenever a user asks. Rollout of the improvements has already begun for ChatGPT users.

“We’re updating GPT-5 Instant to better recognise and support people in moments of distress. Sensitive parts of conversations will now route to GPT-5 Instant to quickly provide even more helpful responses. ChatGPT will continue to tell users what model is active when asked,” tweeted OpenAI.

How the change is described to work

According to the update, only the portions of a conversation that are flagged as sensitive will be routed to GPT-5 Instant. The intent, as stated by the company, is to provide faster, more considered replies in moments of distress while preserving transparency about which model is responding.

Related product updates: Sora and rights-holder controls

OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman also outlined changes for Sora, the company’s experimental video-generation tool. Altman said the platform will offer expanded controls for rights holders over how their characters are used, building on the current opt-in approach. “People will approach this in very different ways,” he noted, emphasising that OpenAI intends to establish a consistent framework that leaves the final decision with rights holders.

The update signals a focus on tailoring model behaviour to the context of conversations, particularly where users might need more sensitive handling. The company combines two commitments in its announcement: routing delicate exchanges to a specific model and maintaining model transparency (“ChatGPT will continue to tell users what model is active when asked”).

At the same time, OpenAI frames the change as a product-level adjustment rather than a change in policy; the rollout is presented as incremental and already underway. The announcement also links these support-orientated updates to broader product developments such as Sora’s rights-holder features.