A punctuation quirk has been quietly shaping how AI-generated text feels. After months of feedback from users,
OpenAI says ChatGPT is now much better at following explicit instructions about one specific mark that became
a meme in itself: the em dash.
Random Prompt
From Writing Quirk to “AI Tell”
Over the past year, a familiar pattern started showing up in school essays, marketing copy, emails, social posts,
and even customer support chats. Long, flowing sentences broken up by frequent em dashes became a kind of signature
associated with AI writing. The mark itself is not new, but its sudden overuse made some readers suspicious of
anything that “sounded like ChatGPT.”
Many writers pointed out that they had been using the em dash long before large language models became popular.
Still, because ChatGPT tended to lean on it even when asked not to, the symbol turned into an unreliable but
widely discussed signal that text might be generated by AI.
OpenAI’s Update: More Obedient Style Control
According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, this behavior has now been addressed. In a recent update, the company says
ChatGPT will better respect user preferences around punctuation when those preferences are clearly stated in
custom instructions. Tell the model not to use em dashes, and it should finally comply.
The change does not remove the em dash by default. Instead, it improves how the model follows style rules defined
by the user. In other words, the tool remains flexible, but the person writing the prompt now has more reliable
control over the output.
- Better adherence to custom instructions: Style constraints are treated more seriously.
- Cleaner editing workflows: Less manual cleanup for teams with strict voice guidelines.
- Fewer “AI fingerprints”: Users can reduce the habits that made AI text easy to spot.
Why This Matters for Prompt-Driven Creators on VibePostAI
On VibePostAI, prompts are more than temporary chat instructions. They are reusable creative assets that power
long-term projects, client work, and collaborative workflows. That means every detail of the output matters,
including punctuation and rhythm.
When models like ChatGPT respect style rules more consistently, prompts shared on VibePostAI become more portable
and predictable. A single well-crafted prompt can generate similar results across multiple sessions, teams, and use
cases without constant rewriting.
- Brand voice prompts: Marketers can enforce punctuation and tone guidelines more reliably.
- Editorial systems: Writers can design prompts that match house style for blogs or documentation.
- Shared libraries: Teams can reuse prompts knowing the style will remain consistent over time.
Style as a First-Class Part of Prompt Design
The em dash update is a small example of a larger trend in AI: giving users more granular control over how models
write, not just what they say. For prompt engineers, creators, and teams publishing their work on VibePostAI,
this shift turns style into a first-class parameter of every prompt.
As AI tools become central to writing, design, and product development, the ability to define and protect a unique
voice is increasingly important. Precision around something as simple as a punctuation mark is part of that bigger story.
The A.I News profile on VibePostAI tracks these shifts across tools, models, and platforms — with a focus on what
they mean for the people actually building with prompts.
Read more updates on the A.I News profile
or explore community prompts at VibePostAI.com.