OpenAI Launches GPT-5.1 with Two Variants and Enhanced Mental Health Safety Features
Summary
OpenAI releases GPT-5.1 with two variants - GPT-5.1 Instant for enhanced conversations and GPT-5.1 Thinking for adaptive reasoning - while introducing specialized mental health safety features targeting delusions, psychosis, and emotional dependency concerns.
Key Points
- OpenAI releases GPT-5.1 featuring two variants: GPT-5.1 Instant with improved conversational abilities and instruction following, and GPT-5.1 Thinking with adaptive reasoning that determines when to think before responding
- The new model includes expanded safety evaluations specifically targeting mental health scenarios including isolated delusions, psychosis, and mania, as well as assessments for unhealthy emotional dependence on ChatGPT
- GPT-5.1 builds on GPT-5's foundation while maintaining similar safety mitigations from the previous system card, representing OpenAI's continued focus on creating more sophisticated yet secure conversational AI experiences