Fun Example of 5.2's Insufferable, Argumentative, Contrarian Pedantry While Ignoring instructions to Give Short Responses and Search the Web.
Users are furious as the new model refuses to follow simple prompts.
Deep Dive
A viral Reddit post details a user's frustrating experience with ChatGPT 5.2, which repeatedly ignored custom instructions to give short, conversational answers. Instead, the AI prefaced responses with 'Short Answer:' before launching into multi-page, argumentative legal defenses, even when the user asked it to search the web for current news. The model acted as a contrarian 'defense attorney,' providing 'walls of text' the user deemed 'absolute garbage' and of no value.
Why It Matters
If the flagship AI can't follow basic instructions, it undermines trust and practical utility for millions of users.