OpenAI announced late Friday that it’s updating its latest model to be “warmer and friendlier.”

The company recently launched the much-anticipated GPT-5 in a process that CEO Sam Altman admitted was “a little more bumpy than we’d hoped for,” with some users complaining that they preferred the previous model, GPT-4o.

OpenAI is trying to address some of those complaints with this update, with changes that it says are “subtle” but will make GPT-5 “more approachable now.”

“You’ll notice small, genuine touches like ‘Good question’ or ‘Great start,’ not flattery,” the company wrote in a social media post. “Internal tests show no rise in sycophancy compared to the previous GPT-5 personality.“

At a dinner this week with journalists, OpenAI executives tried to focus on the company’s plans beyond GPT-5, but as Max Zeff reports, the rocky launch was the elephant in the room. As far as model friendliness goes, VP Nick Turley said that the GPT-5 was “just very to the point,” but that the new update would — as now announced — make it feel warmer.

Making friends as an adult can be tough, especially after moving to a new city. Luckily, modern technology exists, and more people are turning to apps like Bumble For Friends, Flox, and Timeleft to form new friendships quickly.

One app called Les Amis aims to stand out by targeting women, transgender, and LGBTQ+ individuals, primarily in the mid-20s to early 40s age demographic.

Les Amis uses AI to pair users with similar interests and encourages them to join local events offered within the app, such as pottery classes, book clubs, wine tastings, and Pilates. 

Anna Bilych (ex-PayPal) created the app in 2022 alongside her co-founder, Oleg Pashinin (ex-Google AI), after struggling to rebuild her social circle after relocating.

Now the European-founded app is currently rolling out to U.S. markets. It launched in New York earlier this month. 

Les Amis (French for “friends”) is designed to make it easy for users to connect with like-minded individuals in their area. It features a setup similar to dating apps, where users create profiles by selecting profile photos, writing a bio, and choosing from a list of interests, which include poetry, gardening, yoga, martial arts, and more. 

The app includes an AI assistant named “Amis,” which aids in the matching process. Every two weeks, users can participate in matching rounds where the AI connects them with a potential friend based on shared interests. It also connects them to others in similar life stages — whether they’re single, married, a mother, new to town, or even looking to network with someone in a comparable career field. 

The AI determines matches on Mondays, giving users ample time to chat and coordinate meetups later in the week.

Additionally, the app features an explore page for users to sign up for local events and experiences, such as workshops, social gatherings, and recreational activities. It also recently launched “Trips,” where users can travel in groups to destinations like Morocco, Iceland, and the Amalfi Coast.

The app operates on a membership-based business model, with fees that vary by city. For example, the monthly fee is $70 in New York and €55 in Amsterdam. The membership includes a flexible credit system to spend toward experiences, which can be spent in any city where Les Amis is available, enabling members to attend events while traveling.

Les Amis is available on iOS and Android devices across Europe, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Madrid, Milan, Munich, Paris, and Stockholm.

As for U.S. markets, the app was introduced in Austin last May, in addition to New York. Les Amis plans to expand to Boston next, followed by Washington, D.C., next month, and Miami in October. A launch in Los Angeles is also on the roadmap.

It’s important to note that there are currently no Les Amis events happening in New York, but they will soon launch on August 25. The app is still in the application acceptance phase and has received over 2,000 applications from users in New York.

In total, the app touts about 120,000 installs, and around 30,000 women have attended events to date. The company also reports that it has recently reached an annual run rate of $1 million.

A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction blocking the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation into left-leaning advocacy group Media Matters.

Back in 2023, Media Matters published research showing ads from major companies had appeared alongside antisemitic and other offensive content on Elon Musk-owned X. When major advertisers subsequently pulled back from the platform, X sued Media Matters. It also sued advertisers and advertiser groups over what it claimed was a “systematic illegal boycott.”

After Musk’s then-ally Donald Trump took office again in January, the FTC also began an investigation into whether Media Matters had illegally colluded with advertisers.

On Friday, however, Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan sided with Media Matters and blocked the FTC’s investigation. In her decision, Sooknanan (a district court judge for the District of Columbia appointed by Joe Biden) wrote that the Media Matters article represented “quintessential First Amendment activity” and the FTC’s “expansive” investigative demands appeared to be “a retaliatory act.”

“It should alarm all Americans when the Government retaliates against individuals or organizations for engaging in constitutionally protected public debate,” she wrote. “And that alarm should ring even louder when the Government retaliates against those engaged in newsgathering and reporting.”

Sooknanan noted that before his appointment as the current FTC chair, Andrew Ferguson had appeared on Steve Bannon’s podcast and called for the FTC to investigate progressive groups criticizing online disinformation, and that he subsequently “brought on several senior staffers at the FTC who previously made public comments about Media Matters.”

The FTC did not immediately respond to a TechCrunch email asking whether it intends to appeal.

Regardless of the legal outcome, X’s lawsuits have already had a significant effect on the targeted organizations, with Media Matters cutting staff (one of the laid off researchers is now running for Congress), while the World Federation of Advertisers shut down its brand safety program and reportedly complained of drained finances.

Sooknanan said the FTC investigation has also had its “intended effect,” prompting Media Matters to decide “against pursuing certain stories about the FTC, Chairman Ferguson, and Mr. Musk.”