Editing Openai/696ebbd6-ffb0-800d-a276-29c0e2ae02aa (section)

=== Assistant: I couldn’t fetch that specific Reddit page directly error 429, but available Reddit search results cover the same topic… ===
I couldn’t fetch that specific Reddit page directly (error 429), but available Reddit search results cover the same topic and indicate what people are discussing. Here’s a structured summary of the common themes from that discussion and similar “ChatGPT is getting worse” posts:

==== Users are reporting subjective declines in ChatGPT’s performance, with examples such as: ====
# Tasks that were easier before now require more hand-holding — people say simple prompts now need repeated clarifications. Reddit<ref>{{cite web|title=Reddit|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPT/comments/1qhhkp2/is_chatgpt_getting_worse_and_worse_for_anyone_else/|publisher=reddit.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
# Responses feel more superficial, shorter, or less detailed compared with earlier versions. Reddit<ref>{{cite web|title=Reddit|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1ogxx96/did_chatgpt_get_worse_after_oct_20_it_feels_lazy/|publisher=reddit.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
# Inaccuracy or errors in basic outputs, including forgetting context or not following instructions well. Reddit<ref>{{cite web|title=Reddit|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1qc6yvk/has_chatgpt_gotten_noticeably_worse_in_the_last/|publisher=reddit.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
# Some users intentionally cancel subscriptions over perceived quality drops. Reddit<ref>{{cite web|title=Reddit|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPTcomplaints/comments/1pncy8c/how_on_earth_is_chatgpt_getting_worse_and_worse/|publisher=reddit.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
# Feedback that newer model behavior feels “neutered” or less capable appears in multiple threads. Reddit<ref>{{cite web|title=Reddit|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPTPro/comments/1lv5cim/chatgpt_getting_worse_and_worse/|publisher=reddit.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>

These represent user perceptions shared on Reddit, not verified performance degradation.

==== These Reddit threads express subjective experience and opinion — not measured performance metrics: ====

Reasonable inferences based on the posts:
* People notice differences after model updates and interpret that as “worse.” Reddit<ref>{{cite web|title=Reddit|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1ogxx96/did_chatgpt_get_worse_after_oct_20_it_feels_lazy/|publisher=reddit.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
* Users tend to compare current behavior with their memory of earlier models (recency bias).

Unsupported claims (no direct evidence from Reddit or official sources):
* Any claim that ChatGPT objectively got worse in factual accuracy or reasoning across all use cases.
* Assertions about specific internal causes (e.g., throttling compute for profit) — these are speculation from users. Reddit<ref>{{cite web|title=Reddit|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPT/comments/1mb0sze/i_think_i_found_why_chatgpt_is_getting_worse/|publisher=reddit.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>

==== There are documented model changes that could affect user experience: ====
* GPT-5 rollout has faced criticism for inconsistent quality, with some users saying responses feel inferior to GPT-4o. Wikipedia<ref>{{cite web|title=Wikipedia|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPT-5|publisher=en.wikipedia.org|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
* OpenAI publicly acknowledged issues with early GPT-5 behavior and committed to fixes. Wikipedia<ref>{{cite web|title=Wikipedia|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GPT-5|publisher=en.wikipedia.org|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>

These are factual reported responses — not Reddit opinion.

==== AI models like ChatGPT have intrinsic limitations that can give the impression of declining quality: ====
* Hallucinations — AI can confidently give false information. This is a known limitation of language models. Wikipedia<ref>{{cite web|title=Wikipedia|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallucination_%28artificial_intelligence%29|publisher=en.wikipedia.org|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>
* Context loss — longer conversations or complex instructions can degrade output consistency. Reddit<ref>{{cite web|title=Reddit|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/13vhzgy/do_chatgpts_responses_get_worse_as_the/|publisher=reddit.com|access-date=2026-01-20}}</ref>

These phenomena are consistent with known AI limitations, not necessarily a decline in model capability.

==== If your goal is to determine whether ChatGPT is objectively “getting worse”: ====
# Define specific metrics you care about (e.g., factual accuracy, reasoning with provided data, mathematics).
# Design controlled prompts and test across time (e.g., monthly benchmark prompts).
# Compare responses from multiple model versions, if available.
# Cross-check outputs with ground-truth sources (manual or automated).

This separates user perception from empirical performance change.

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==== - Reddit users feel ChatGPT is worse — that’s a community-reported perception, not an objective measurement. ====
* Some model changes (like GPT-5 behavior) could change experience in ways users dislike; this is documented.
* Known limitations of language models explain why performance may feel worse in some tasks.

==== There is insufficient evidence to claim that ChatGPT is inherently or universally “getting worse” in an empirical sense. What Reddit threads show is that user experience varies and people often interpret changes negatively. Perceptual decline does not equal actual reduction in capability. ====

If you want, I can extract specific comment excerpts from that Reddit thread (then analyze which complaints are most common and which are overgeneralizations).