A Reddit user and GitHub earlier this week claimed to reveal the verbatim system prompt for OpenAI’s GPT-5, detailing the underlying instructions governing the large language model’s behavior and responses.
The alleged system prompt, which also appeared on GitHub one day prior to its Reddit appearance, begins with the directive, “You are ChatGPT, a large language model based on the GPT-5 model and trained by OpenAI.” This initial statement establishes the model’s identity and origin. The prompt further specifies a knowledge cutoff date for GPT-5 as 2024-06, indicating the most recent information the model was trained on. Additionally, the personality of the model is designated as “v2,” implying an evolution in ChatGPT’s behavioral parameters over time.
The leaked commands provide considerable insight into the types of responses ChatGPT is now permitted to generate and illustrate OpenAI’s efforts to shape its interactions. A specific instruction mandates that GPT-5 refrain from using phrases such as, “Would you like me to,” “want me to do that,” “do you want me to,” “if you want, I can,” “let me know if you would like me to,” “should I,” or “shall I.” While both sources assert the prompt’s authenticity, users on Hacker News have raised questions regarding its veracity and reproducibility, suggesting the possibility of decoy or canary prompts.
System prompts play a crucial role in defining an LLM’s operational parameters, including its tonal qualities, safety protocols, and how it utilizes various tools. Such leaks, if legitimate, can inform attempts at “jailbreaking” the model, but more significantly, they offer a rare glimpse into the internal mechanisms of large language models. The reported changes within the prompt could potentially enhance the user experience by making GPT-5 more intuitive. The prompt also reportedly mentions automation tools, including instructions for creating daily tasks.
However, OpenAI’s official launch materials for GPT-5 emphasize a “router/reasoning stack” rather than a singular, static script, which contradicts the notion of a single, canonical prompt governing the entire system. The rumored system prompt indicates specific modifications by OpenAI that influence GPT-5’s communication style. These changes include directives such as, “If the next step is obvious, do it,” and “Ask at most one necessary clarifying question at the start, not at the end.”
The prompt also contains extensive guidelines pertaining to image generation, including the capability to generate images of itself. The authenticity of the purported prompt remains unproven, and its content could be partial, outdated, or intentionally disseminated. OpenAI has not officially published or confirmed any system prompt, and official GPT-5 documentation describes a routed system rather than a solitary, static script. It is plausible that any real system prompt undergoes continuous updates with each new version or minor refinement of the LLM.
