ChatGPT 5.1 just did the impossible for me. No em dashes.

🔥

ChatGPT 5.1 is here and the very first thing I tested was this: “No em dashes.” And it actually listened!!! I am not exaggerating. This alone is historic. 🥳 I laughed out loud because I have begged previous versions to behave like this and they simply refused. So yes. We are celebrating.

Why this matters

5.1 follows directions better. Way better. It sticks to your rules. It keeps your tone. It understands nuance. You can give it boundaries and it actually respects them. The whole thing feels steadier and more reliable which makes it easier to trust your own creative flow while you work with it.

It also claims that it stays with you in a conversation instead of drifting off. If you give half formed thoughts or jump around, it keeps up. If you change your mind mid sentence, it adapts. If you say “not like that try again but keep the same vibe,” it hits it almost every time. I can't wait to test this today!!!

What to try

Here are a few fun ways to see the new behavior without turning it into a science experiment.

Idea One

Give it a rule. A funny one. A picky one. A specific one. Something like “Write this for me, no em dashes, no drama, keep the energy warm not shouty.” Watch how well it honors the whole list.

Idea Two

Give it your natural messy brain. Type something like “Here is my half baked idea. Do not fix my personality. Just help me turn this into something my clients will understand.” See how it organizes without flattening your voice.

Idea Three

Ask it to explain your own idea back to you. This is shockingly useful. Say “Tell me what I just said in a way that makes sense so I know if I’m thinking clearly.” The clarity jump is wild.

Idea Four

Tell it how you want to feel while doing a task. Try “Help me write this without getting overwhelmed. Break it into tiny steps so I can stay calm and keep going.” This version is very good at pace and emotional tone.

The overall vibe

The claim: 5.1 makes everything smoother. It listens better. It follows directions better. It respects your quirks and your preferences which means you can work faster without sacrificing your voice.

I can't wait to play with it. Give it rules. Give it personality constraints. Give it your real thoughts and see how it really responds. I hope the claims are true and my work quickly goes from “I hope it gets this right” to “Oh good it actually did exactly what I said.”

Let me know what you find! Are you liking the change?

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