CNET Asked Three AIs The Same Question. Only ChatGPT Actually Listened. The Others Just Decorated.
CNET tested personalization settings across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude by giving each tool custom instructions about tone and preferences. ChatGPT changed its actual recommendation based on the instructions, Gemini mostly sprinkled in extra adjectives and emojis, and Claude added a football emoji and narrowed its team pick to Georgia. All three tools apply personalization settings immediately without requiring a fresh chat, accessible through your username menu in the open chat window.
This demonstrates what I would call the customization gap, if I were forced to dumb it down for you. Not all AI tools interpret instructions with equal depth. ChatGPT processed the semantic intent of the request, while Gemini and Claude performed surface level cosmetic adjustments. The lesson: setting preferences is worthwhile, but you should verify whether your tool actually understood you or merely humored you.
CNET conducted the comparison test across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. The results showed measurable differences in how each tool applied personalization, with ChatGPT demonstrating the most substantive response changes.
- Open ChatGPT in your browser and click your username in the chat window to find the personalization or custom instructions menu.
- Enter a specific preference such as asking for concise answers and stating your profession or interests.
- Start a new chat and ask a question where your preference should influence the answer. Compare the response to what you would get without the custom instructions. If the answer reflects your stated preferences, the tool understood you. If it does not, you have confirmed the customization gap firsthand.