If you’ve been chatting with ChatGPT lately and noticed it dropping oddly specific references to goblins, gremlins, ogres, or trolls, you’re not imagining things. OpenAI has now explained why ChatGPT has developed this strange habit and how it’s getting fixed.
How a “nerdy” quirk became everyone’s problem
OpenAIThe problem quietly started with GPT-5.1, released in November. After that launch, use of the word “goblin” in ChatGPT responses jumped 175%, while “gremlin” rose 52%. The culprit turned out to be one of ChatGPT’s optional personality settings called “Nerdy,” which was designed to make the AI sound playful and intellectually curious.
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During training, OpenAI accidentally gave the model unusually high rewards for responses that included creature-based metaphors, and the habit took hold fast.
How did a single personality setting cause so much goblin talk?
Keep reading this article on Digital Trends.
