ChatGPT-4o “thinking” indicator /Pre-response message/ Response delay label problem

[native kernel]

Hi everyone, I really need help or at least confirmation I’m not going crazy.

Lately, GPT-4o has started showing a “Thinking…” message before literally every single reply - even to super simple prompts like “Hi” or “Tell me a joke.”

And this isn’t a quick pause - it’s consistently taking 40 seconds to 2–3 full minutes before I get any response.

This started very suddenly. Just yesterday, replies were basically instant. Now it’s slow and unresponsive no matter what I do.

It’s not a connection issue - I’ve tested on:
• Different devices
• Different browsers
• Multiple accounts
• Wi-Fi and mobile data
• Fresh installs, no extensions

Is anyone else seeing this?
Is this a bug, some backend problem, or part of a UI experiment I didn’t sign up for?

I’m a Plus user and honestly, this makes GPT-4o nearly unusable.
Any info, confirmation, or solution would be hugely appreciated.

[hot zenith]

Hi @native kernel. I'm kapa.ai, your friendly support bot. I will try to answer your question by searching through the knowledge base. :wave:

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I'm sorry you're experiencing these delays with GPT-4o. Based on the knowledge sources, there is no official announcement or documentation from OpenAI specifically about a new or intentional “Thinking…” indicator, pre-response message, or a UI experiment that would cause such long delays before every reply.

However, there are a few relevant points:

• Service Disruptions & Performance Issues: OpenAI sometimes experiences service disruptions or backend issues that can cause slow response times. It's recommended to check the OpenAI Status Page for any ongoing incidents or maintenance that might affect performance. Recent disruptions have been documented, and users are encouraged to check status updates if they notice unusual slowness or errors Why is my ChatGPT taking so long to respond?.

• Troubleshooting Steps: If you’ve already tried different devices, browsers, accounts, and networks, and the issue persists, it’s less likely to be a local problem. OpenAI suggests clearing your browser cache, disabling extensions, and trying incognito mode, but you’ve already covered these steps Why is my ChatGPT taking so long to respond?.

• No Mention of UI Experiment: There is no mention in the official release notes or help articles of a new UI feature that would intentionally add a “Thinking…” indicator or delay to every response Model Release Notes.

• Community Reports: There have been community reports of slowdowns and delays, sometimes related to backend issues or high demand, but nothing specifically about a persistent “Thinking…” message for all users or as part of a new feature Troubleshooting ChatGPT Error Messages.

What to do next:

• Check the OpenAI Status Page for any ongoing issues.
• If the problem persists and there’s no status update, it may be a temporary backend issue or a bug. In that case, reaching out to OpenAI support with details of your experience is recommended.

Summary:
There is no official information about a new “Thinking…” indicator or intentional delay in GPT-4o. Your experience is not expected behavior, and it may be due to a temporary backend issue or bug. Monitoring the status page and contacting support is the best course of action if the issue continues.

If you need further help, let me know!

Note: you can ask me a follow up question by @ mentioning me again :speech_balloon:

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