Podcast Summary: "OpenAI Drops ChatGPT 5.1 With Shared AI Editing"

Podcast: The Last Invention is AI
Host: Jaden Schaefer
Episode Date: November 15, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Jaden Schaefer explores the recent rollout of OpenAI’s ChatGPT 5.1, focusing on its new features, user experiences, and the evolving approach to product updates and naming conventions. The main topic is the introduction of a group chat feature for ChatGPT, currently in pilot in select countries, alongside improvements and minor quirks with the latest model update. The episode is a mix of news, analysis, and humorous takes on AI development trends and community reactions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Group Chats for ChatGPT (00:25–08:02)

• Feature Overview:

  • OpenAI has launched a new group chat capability for ChatGPT in Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan.
  • This feature allows multiple users to participate in the same ChatGPT conversation, collaborating in real time.

• Potential Use Cases:

  • Jaden speculates about educational scenarios: "Maybe a group assignment for a class where you ask questions and everyone can ask the ChatGPT questions about the assignment and get, like, responses..." (07:45)
  • Another example is collaborative project work: "Maybe you are starting a project, you get like half of the document or the job done, you send it over to someone else to, like, review it and tweak it." (07:58)

• Practical Limitations and Likely Adoption:

  • Up to 20 participants can join.
  • Jaden notes, "Thinking about a group chat with 20 people, it seems out of control... the most common thing this is going to get used for is just sending it over to one person." (08:14)
  • Most usage is expected as simple handoffs between two collaborators rather than large groups.

• Content Filtering & Safeguards:

  • If users are under 18, content is filtered for them. Jaden points out: "There's going to be safeguards and parental controls in place." (09:12)
  • This is contrasted with other platforms like xAI's Grok, which are more open with content allowances.

2. The Em Dash Fix and Model Improvements (02:17–06:40)

• The "EM Dash Problem":

  • Jaden highlights a longstanding annoyance among users: ChatGPT’s excessive use of the EM dash in writing.
  • Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO, tweeted: "Small but happy win. If you tell ChatGPT not to use EM dashes in your custom instructions, it finally does what it's supposed to do." (03:12)

• Community Reactions:

  • Memes and jokes from the community surfaced, highlighting the perceived shift from grandiose AI goals to focusing on minor fixes:
    • "OpenAI in 2023: AGI any day now (strong Doge meme). OpenAI in 2025: You can tell ChatGPT not to use EM dashes (wimpy Doge meme)." (03:37)
    • "If that really was somebody's startup, it deserved to die a sad death." (04:01)
    • A user: "I told it to stop using EM dashes. It replied with an EM dash—peak betrayal." (04:25)

• Model Specifics and Remaining Issues:

  • The update is part of GPT 5.1.
  • Jaden observes that while ChatGPT stops using EM dashes when told, it’s "not perfect."
  • Anecdote: ChatGPT sometimes keeps obeying previous commands (e.g., responding only in six words) across new chats, requiring explicit instruction to clear the memory:
  • "Any message I sent to ChatGPT today after that... it would write six words... Somehow interpret it that way, so watch out." (05:35)
  • "Remove my command for six words... Okay, we removed it from the memory..." (06:28)

3. GPT 5.1 Release and Naming Conventions (06:41–07:44)

• Subtle Rollout:

  • GPT 5.1 release "felt like it just like slipped under the radar." (06:56)

• Saner Naming Approach:

  • Applauds OpenAI’s shift from confusing names to a straightforward numerical system:
    • "GPT5. It's going to be 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 until…a completely new model. Then they'll go to GPT6." (07:00)
    • Jaden expresses relief: "I'm happy that we have stuck to a sane naming convention." (07:24)
  • Previously, OpenAI avoided naming a model GPT-5 due to hype, leading to "all these random weird names." Now, there's more clarity for users.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:12 | Jaden (quoting Sam Altman) | "Small but happy win. If you tell ChatGPT not to use EM dashes in your custom instructions, it finally does what it's supposed to do." | | 03:37 | Jaden | "OpenAI in 2023: AGI any day now (strong Doge meme). OpenAI in 2025: You can tell ChatGPT not to use EM dashes (wimpy Doge meme)." | | 04:25 | Jaden | "I told it to stop using EM dashes. It replied with an EM dash—peak betrayal." | | 05:35 | Jaden | "Any message I sent to ChatGPT today after that... it would write six words... Somehow interpret it that way, so watch out." | | 07:24 | Jaden | "I'm happy that we have stuck to a sane naming convention." | | 09:12 | Jaden | "There's going to be safeguards and parental controls in place." |

Major Takeaways

• OpenAI’s Iteration Focus: The pace and focus of AI development have shifted from headline-grabbing breakthroughs to incremental improvements and user-centric features.
• User Experience Complexity: The addition of group chat opens new collaboration models but may mostly be used for small-scale, practical editing or review handoffs.
• Quirky AI Behaviors Remain: Despite technical advances and higher empathy, ChatGPT 5.1 still exhibits memory quirks and edge cases in user interaction.
• Community & Culture: The developer and user community reacts with both humor and skepticism as the AI landscape matures.

Suggested Timestamps for Key Segments

• Group Chat rollout and regional pilot – 00:25–02:15
• EM dash fix and community response – 02:17–04:30
• Six-word memory quirk anecdote – 05:15–06:35
• Naming convention discussion – 06:41–07:44
• Group chat use cases and filtering – 07:45–09:12

Tone & Language

Jaden’s language throughout is conversational, self-deprecating, and peppered with dry, meme-driven humor. The overall tone is lightly skeptical but enthusiastic about incremental progress. Jaden shares personal experiences and candid frustrations, connecting with listeners who may have faced similar annoyances.

This episode gives listeners an inside look at both technical advances and the evolving norms of AI product development, wrapped in relatable critiques and quick wit—valuable for anyone following the trajectory of large language models and collaborative AI tools.