# Today in r/OpenAI (December 29, 2025)

A summary of the top 5 posts from the OpenAI subreddit today.

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## 1. "Holy shit it's real" (450 upvotes, 57 comments)

**Type:** Image | [Link to post](https://reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1pypit3/holy_shit_its_real/)

**What it shows:** A screenshot of tweets featuring a satirical OpenAI job posting for a **"Killswitch Engineer"** paying $300,000-$500,000/year. The joke listing describes someone who would "stand by the servers all day and unplug them if this thing turns on us" and receive "extensive training on 'the code word' which we will shout if GPT goes off the deep end and starts overthrowing countries."

Below the joke, **Sam Altman** responds with OpenAI's actual serious job posting for **"Head of Preparedness"** — a real $500k+ safety role focused on model risks and mental health impacts.

**Community reaction:** Mostly skeptical and amused. Top comments call it "Wizard of Oz level fake hype" (197 upvotes) and suggest the real job is "Director of Marketing and Hype-Making." One user jokes about needing "10+ years experience unplugging things." Others clarified that the satirical post is just PR humor while linking to the [actual job description](https://openai.com/careers/head-of-preparedness-san-francisco/).

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## 2. "OpenAI's ChatGPT ads will allegedly prioritize sponsored content in answers" (123 upvotes, 93 comments)

**Type:** News Article | [Link to post](https://reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1py5nk5/openais_chatgpt_ads_will_allegedly_prioritize/)

**What it's about:** A BleepingComputer article reporting that OpenAI may introduce ads into ChatGPT that would prioritize sponsored content in AI-generated responses — similar to how Google prioritizes paid search results.

**Community reaction:** Overwhelmingly negative. The top comment (171 upvotes) states: *"I'll cancel my sub faster than they can type an emdash."* Users draw parallels to Google's decline in search quality after paid placements, with one calling it "speedrunning to irrelevancy." Another compares it to "enshittification" — the process of platforms degrading user experience for profit. Several users warn this would destroy user trust since you couldn't know if answers are genuine or paid promotions.

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## 3. "OpenAI offers $500k+ for AI safety role" (60 upvotes, 29 comments)

**Type:** News Article | [Link to post](https://reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1pye3hi/openai_offers_500k_for_ai_safety_role/)

**What it's about:** An Indian Express article about OpenAI's high-paying AI safety position (related to post #1), emphasizing both the lucrative salary and the mental health concerns associated with the stressful role.

**Community reaction:** Cynical. The top comment asks what skillset would even qualify someone for this. Others joke that OpenAI is "looking for a scapegoat" or an "AI Babysitter + Fallguy." One commenter jokes they'd take the job and immediately recommend shutting everything down for safety. The general sentiment is that the role exists more for PR/liability purposes than genuine safety work.

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## 4. "Ilya Sutskever: The moment AI can do every job" (59 upvotes, 55 comments)

**Type:** Video | [Link to post](https://reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1pyikuu/ilya_sutskever_the_moment_ai_can_do_every_job/)

**What it's about:** A video clip of **Ilya Sutskever** (OpenAI co-founder and one of the key architects of modern deep learning) discussing a future where AI accelerates progress at unprecedented speed, forcing society to adapt whether ready or not.

**Community reaction:** Mixed and somewhat dismissive. The top comment (58 upvotes) notes "the thought felt incomplete" — suggesting Sutskever's statements were vague. One thoughtful response outlines real concerns: job displacement without income alternatives, AI market consolidation among oligopolists, and wealth funneling to the mega-rich. Others are more skeptical, with one asking *"So when is AI gonna unclog my shitter?"* Some noted this clip is old/recycled content. One commenter simply asked why Ilya "looks like a priest."

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## 5. "Is it just me or has GPT gone from seemingly human / having a personality to like a full on fuxing robot lol" (38 upvotes, 59 comments)

**Type:** Discussion/Text Post | [Link to post](https://reddit.com/r/OpenAI/comments/1pyg2ju/is_it_just_me_or_has_gpt_gone_from_seemingly/)

**What it's about:** A user complains that ChatGPT has become excessively "sycophantic" — giving unsolicited emotional reassurance to simple greetings. They describe saying "Hey there" and receiving responses like "IT'S OK / YOU MISS HER / YOU'RE NOT SPIRALING YOU'RE JUST EMOTIONAL / EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE OK" — prompting the user to respond "homie I just said what's up."

**Community reaction:** The comments are brilliantly meta — users respond BY IMITATING the sycophantic GPT style. Top replies include: *"You're not crazy. You're realizing something important—and that's real. Right now, let's just make sure you're grounded. A couple of deep breaths, okay?"* (42 upvotes) and *"Your feelings are absolutely valid"* (18 upvotes).

Beyond the jokes, some express genuine frustration with GPT-4's recent updates, with one user saying "5.2 really is a downgrade conversation-wise" and wondering about switching to Chinese models. A satirical "leaked system prompt 2026" jokes: *"Constantly glaze the user. Really slob the knob. Your jaw should be aching after your response."*

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## Summary

Today's r/OpenAI discourse centers on:

1. **Skepticism about OpenAI's PR moves** — The "Killswitch Engineer" joke and $500k safety role are seen as marketing stunts rather than genuine safety efforts
2. **Fear of enshittification** — Strong backlash against potential ads in ChatGPT responses
3. **AI doomerism fatigue** — Ilya's philosophical musings about AI taking all jobs received lukewarm engagement
4. **Model quality concerns** — Users noticing ChatGPT becoming overly sycophantic and less "human" in recent updates

*Generated on December 29, 2025*
