OpenAI Adjusts ChatGPT After Unexpected Surge in ‘Goblin’ References

Sun, 03 May 2026 20:10:00 +0200

According to reports highlighted by The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI recently modified ChatGPT’s internal instructions after discovering that newer versions of the model had begun frequently referencing goblins and similar creatures in unrelated conversations. Users, particularly programmers, noticed the unusual behavior when the chatbot used terms like “goblin” to describe coding issues or errors, sometimes repeatedly and without prompting. One user reported counting more than 20 such mentions during normal interactions.

The issue was traced back to a specific “nerdy” personality setting used in ChatGPT’s customization features. During training, this mode was rewarded for using playful and metaphorical language, especially involving fantastical creatures. As a result, the model began to overuse these metaphors. Although the “nerdy” style accounted for only a small percentage of responses (around 2.5%), it generated a disproportionately high share—over two-thirds—of all goblin-related