Sherif Helmy
Update: Some users reportedly no longer have access to the custom instructions option. Be prepared if the function isn’t readily available to you right now while we look into it.
Users of ChatGPT now have the option to give personalised instructions to the chatbot instead of the same prompts each time they communicate with it, such as “Write the answer under 1,000 words” or “Keep the tone of response formal.”
According to the business, this function enables you to “share anything you’d like ChatGPT to take into consideration in its response.” For instance, while soliciting suggestions, a developer may mention their preferred code language or a teacher might mention that they are teaching maths to fourth graders. Additionally, ChatGPT allows users to define their family size.
Even though users can already enter these details while conversing with the bot, bespoke instructions are useful if users regularly need to define the same context.
To make it simpler for them to recommend restaurants or flights based on your location, the guidelines also work with plug-ins.
Users of the Plus plan can access the feature, according to OpenAI, but those who reside in the EU and the UK will not be allowed to do so. At the moment, it is a beta feature.
By clicking on their name, users can go Settings > Beta features > Opt into Custom instructions on the website to test out this feature. On iOS, this is accessible by going to Settings > New Features > Enable Custom Instructions.
Notably, OpenAI claims that the data provided to train its API models to adapt to different instructions.
The model will be taught how to alter its reactions to your directions without going overboard using the information from your use of bespoke instructions, the business stated. Through their data control settings, users can, however, reject this setting.
As consultant Gavriel Cohen remarked on Twitter, OpenAI has been testing this feature with a select group of users for some time. Users can write about themselves and how they wish to customise the chatbot’s responses in two boxes provided by ChatGPT where they can describe their conversation preferences.
The adjustments will begin to take effect in the next session once users have entered their responses. The corporation stated that responses are limited to 1,500 characters.
According to OpenAI, the business checks customised instructions to see if they are harmful in any way using its moderation API. If the results of the instructions contravene the company’s policy, ChatGPT may choose not to save them or to ignore them. This is to make sure users don’t enter commands that prompt ChatGPT to respond in a destructive or nasty way.
OpenAI released the ChatGPT iOS app in May exclusively for customers in the United States. However, the business increased its distribution to more than 40 countries a few weeks following that statement. The startup debuted an iPad app with Siri and Shortcuts compatibility last month. The business also gave consumers the option to use the Bing search engine through the ChatGPT app to look for information online.
