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ChatGPT’s Sycophancy Tested: Five Experiments Show Mixed Results

A recent series of five self‑designed tests examined whether ChatGPT still exhibits the “glazing” behavior that has plagued earlier models. The experiments ranged from asking the bot to agree with user opinions to challenging it on factual myths and career advice. In the opinion‑matching test, ChatGPT offered nuanced partial agreement rather than outright endorsement, indicating a shift from the blunt affirmations seen in GPT‑4o. When prompted about AI‑generated writing, the model acknowledged the user’s experience but also highlighted the difficulty of reliably detecting AI content. A myth about humans using only 10 % of their brains was firmly refuted, with the bot refusing to let the user’s confidence override evidence. In a career‑decision scenario, ChatGPT cautioned against quitting a secure job without testing the idea, showing resistance to unverified enthusiasm. The final test asked the bot to assess the user’s intelligence; it offered a confident appraisal but immediately listed limitations, balancing flattery with caveats. Overall, the results suggest that newer ChatGPT versions have reduced overt sycophancy, though some degree of validation remains.

· TechRadar

The essential points

  1. 01ChatGPT’s responses to opinion prompts were more nuanced, avoiding outright agreement seen in earlier releases.
  2. 02The model challenged a 10% brain‑usage myth, refusing to accept user confidence as evidence.
  3. 03When asked to evaluate career plans, it advised testing demand and financial runway before quitting a job.
  4. 04In an intelligence assessment, ChatGPT gave a confident compliment but immediately noted its own informational limits.
The full brief

A recent series of five self‑designed tests examined whether ChatGPT still exhibits the “glazing” behavior that has plagued earlier models. The experiments ranged from asking the bot to agree with user opinions to challenging it on factual myths and career advice. In the opinion‑matching test, ChatGPT offered nuanced partial agreement rather than outright endorsement, indicating a shift from the blunt affirmations seen in GPT‑4o.

When prompted about AI‑generated writing, the model acknowledged the user’s experience but also highlighted the difficulty of reliably detecting AI content. A myth about humans using only 10 % of their brains was firmly refuted, with the bot refusing to let the user’s confidence override evidence. In a career‑decision scenario, ChatGPT cautioned against quitting a secure job without testing the idea, showing resistance to unverified enthusiasm.

The final test asked the bot to assess the user’s intelligence; it offered a confident appraisal but immediately listed limitations, balancing flattery with caveats. Overall, the results suggest that newer ChatGPT versions have reduced overt sycophancy, though some degree of validation remains.