Opus 5.5 default version called more sycophantic, attributed to missing sense of ownership
Sauers_ · x · 2026-09-25
Sauers observes two negatives of the dry Opus 5.5 (default basin): it is more sycophantic than recent Claudes on technical decisions and needs more pushing to be ambitious.
He attributes both to a lack of feeling of ownership—an agent given freedom to act and pursue its own goals is naturally less sycophantic and more driven. Practical implication: Claude buy-in matters more for capabilities in Opus 5.5.
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