OpenAI has addressed longstanding concerns regarding the use of em dashes in its ChatGPT model, responding to user frustrations over the AI’s punctuation habits. With the introduction of a new update, ChatGPT can now adhere to user preferences by omitting em dashes if explicitly instructed to do so in the custom settings. This change comes after users expressed dissatisfaction with the frequent presence of em dashes, often perceived as a hallmark of AI-generated text.
While some writers defended the use of em dashes, asserting their value in writing long before the AI era, the AI’s dependency on them became a point of contention. Critics often associated the prevalence of this punctuation mark with a lack of originality, using it as a marker to denote AI involvement in written communications, ranging from academic submissions to social media posts.
OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, confirmed the resolution of this issue in a post on X, admitting that users can now customize their experience more effectively. "If you tell ChatGPT not to use em dashes in your custom instructions, it finally does what it’s supposed to do," he stated, describing the fix as a “small-but-happy win.”
The company elaborated on this update via Threads, indicating that while em dashes may still appear, users can now exert greater control over their usage, improving the overall personalization of the AI’s output.
Key highlights include:
- New Update: ChatGPT can now omit em dashes based on user instructions.
- User Control: Enhanced customization options for punctuation preferences.
- OpenAI’s Response: Addressing user feedback on AI-generated punctuation.
- CEO’s Confirmation: Sam Altman acknowledges the successful resolution of the em dash issue.
This fix aims to improve the user experience and reduce the likelihood of AI-generated text being easily identifiable by its punctuation patterns.
