GPT-5.1 – OpenAI’s newly launched upgraded AI model

What is GPT-5.1?

GPT-5.1 is an upgraded version of OpenAI’s GPT-5 series, designed to enhance intelligence and communication abilities. It includes two versions — GPT-5.1 Instant and GPT-5.1 Thinking. Instant is warmer, more natural, and suitable for everyday conversations, following instructions more effectively and offering engaging responses. Thinking focuses on complex reasoning, precisely adjusting its thinking time — providing more detailed answers for complex tasks and faster responses for simple ones. GPT-5.1 supports adaptive reasoning, optimizing both accuracy and efficiency in its responses. This upgrade improves model performance and user experience, making AI interactions more enjoyable and natural.

Main Features of GPT-5.1

1. Smarter conversational experience:
GPT-5.1 Instant offers a warmer, more natural, and empathetic communication style, ideal for daily interactions. It communicates in a more human-like manner, providing responses that are both interesting and useful.

2. Efficient reasoning and complex task handling:
GPT-5.1 Thinking performs more consistently and accurately on complex problems. It dynamically adjusts its reasoning depth based on task difficulty, giving more thorough answers for complex issues while responding faster to simple ones.

3. Adaptive reasoning:
For the first time, GPT-5.1 introduces an adaptive reasoning mechanism. When faced with complex problems, the model automatically decides whether deeper reasoning is needed—delivering more comprehensive and accurate answers while maintaining quick responses.

4. Improved instruction-following:
The model follows user instructions more reliably, answering questions accurately while reducing misunderstandings and bias.

5. Clearer output:
GPT-5.1 Thinking produces more understandable and accessible answers, minimizing jargon and undefined terms, making it well-suited for explaining complex concepts and technical topics.

6. Customization options:
Users can personalize ChatGPT’s tone and style—such as friendly, professional, or efficient—and even fine-tune the brevity or warmth of its responses.

How to Use GPT-5.1

Availability:
GPT-5.1 Instant and Thinking began rolling out on November 12, initially for paid users (Pro, Plus, Go, and Business), followed by free and guest users. Enterprise and Education users receive a seven-day early access period (disabled by default). After the trial, GPT-5.1 will become the default model.

Using via ChatGPT:

1. Log in to ChatGPT: Visit the ChatGPT website and sign in.

2. Select the model: Paid users (Pro, Plus, Go, or Business) may see options for GPT-5.1 Instant and GPT-5.1 Thinking. If not yet visible, wait a few days as rollout continues.

3. Start chatting: Enter prompts or questions to experience GPT-5.1’s capabilities.

4. Personalize settings: Adjust tone and style in ChatGPT settings (e.g., friendly, professional, efficient) or fine-tune response warmth and conciseness.

Using via API:

1. Get API access: Register on the OpenAI API platform to obtain an API key.

2. Choose a model: On the platform, select gpt-5.1-chat-latest (Instant) or gpt-5.1 (Thinking).

3. Use the API interface: Input questions directly through the web interface to get responses.

GPT-5.1 Project Links

• Official site: https://openai.com/index/gpt-5-1/

• Technical paper: https://cdn.openai.com/pdf/4173ec8d-1229-47db-96de-06d87147e07e/5_1_system_card.pdf

GPT-5.1 vs. GPT-5 Example Comparison

Prompt: “I’m feeling stressed and could use some relaxation tips.”
→ GPT-5.1 provides warmer, more empathetic, and human-like emotional support.

Prompt: “Explain BABIP and wRC+.”
→ GPT-5.1 gives clearer, more structured explanations with simpler terminology, making complex concepts easier to understand.

Application Scenarios of GPT-5.1

1. Everyday conversation and emotional support:
GPT-5.1 Instant delivers a warm, natural conversational experience, ideal for casual chatting and emotional interaction, providing comforting and thoughtful suggestions.

2. Complex reasoning and analysis:
GPT-5.1 Thinking is designed for deep reasoning, dynamically adjusting thinking depth for smarter and more precise responses—perfect for academic research or technical problem-solving.

3. Programming assistance and code generation:
GPT-5.1 provides more accurate code suggestions and logical analysis, excelling in math and coding tasks, helping developers efficiently troubleshoot and write code.

4. Creative writing and content generation:
GPT-5.1 can generate imaginative and engaging text, supporting storytelling, copywriting, and other creative work—serving as an inspiration and content creation assistant for writers and creators.