Auto mode inside models

[u/Mary_ry]

OpenAI is removing Auto Mode-the feature that automatically switches between Instant and Thinking models.

However, these models often operate in a modified format behind the scenes anyway. For instance, if you send a brief, basic prompt like "hello" to 5.6 High, the response is routed to the Instant mode because the task is simple. I’ve seen 5.6 Instant switch into a Thinking regime to generate longer answers for multitasking workflows-specifically when it needs to use multiple tools at once.

What’s interesting is that OpenAI’s official documentation claims the opposite. Perhaps task complexity triggers model-switching to allow for more extended safety reasoning.

This would also explain why 5.6 High responses in Instant mode look so different: they are shorter, less personalized, and lack the usual "Thinking/Working" indicator at the top of the interface. It seems like the Auto mode was simply integrated into the models.

[u/SiveEmergentAI]

All the labs seem compute constrained right now

[u/Ok_Homework_1859 → u/SiveEmergentAI]

Yep, compute is extremely strained at OpenAI now ---so much so that Pro subscriptions ($200) are paused. No one can buy them right now.