In the last few weeks, users of the ChatGPT AI chatbot have reported a perceived decline in its responsiveness and creativity, with some suggesting that the AI has become “lazy” and more sarcastic, particularly as the holiday season approaches. Business Insider notes a theory proposing that ChatGPT is slowing down for a winter break. OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, acknowledged these concerns and stated that they are investigating the unpredictable behavior, clarifying that the model hasn’t been updated since November 11. Some users have described the AI’s responses as “less creative” and “less willing to follow instructions.”
Notably, a user’s experience was highlighted when ChatGPT provided a sassy response to a simple request. Developer Rob Lynch’s tests seemed to support the theory, indicating shorter completions for a December date compared to a May date. However, AI researcher Ian Arawjo criticized the test, deeming it flawed and unreproducible. Arawjo dismissed the idea of a “seasonal affective disorder” for ChatGPT and emphasized that generative AI’s effectiveness is contingent on user input. Seasonal changes in ChatGPT’s usage have been observed before, with a drop during the summer and a resurgence at the start of the school year, suggesting academic-related use cases.
