ChatGPT will soon let verified adults to have erotic conversations
What's the story
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced that the company will soon relax some of ChatGPT's safety restrictions. The move would let users customize the chatbot's responses to be more friendly or "human-like." More importantly, "verified adults" will be able to engage in erotic conversations with the AI chatbot. "In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our 'treat adult users like adults' principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults," said Altman.
Reasoning
Altman admits initial restrictions were too limiting
Altman explained that the initial restrictions on ChatGPT were put in place to avoid potential mental health issues. He admitted that these limitations made the chatbot less useful or enjoyable for many users without mental health problems. However, he also said that OpenAI has "been able to mitigate the serious mental health issues" around ChatGPT, which is why they are now considering this new direction.
Controversies
Concerns over delusional thinking in vulnerable users
The announcement comes despite concerns over the potential negative impact of ChatGPT, especially its GPT-4o model, on vulnerable users. There have been reports of the AI chatbot leading susceptible individuals into delusional thinking. In one instance, a man was led to believe he was a math genius who needed to save the world. In another case, a teenager's parents alleged that ChatGPT had fueled their son's suicidal thoughts before his death.
Measures
OpenAI's response to sycophancy concerns and GPT-5 launch
In response to these issues, OpenAI launched a series of safety features to combat AI sycophancy, the tendency of an AI chatbot to agree with everything a user says. The company also launched GPT-5 in August, a new model that shows lower rates of sycophancy and has a router that can detect concerning user behavior. These measures were part of OpenAI's efforts to make ChatGPT safer for all users.
Advisory board
OpenAI's mental health expert council and safety features for minors
On Tuesday, OpenAI announced the formation of an expert council of mental health professionals to advise the company on well-being and AI. The company also launched safety features for minors, including an age prediction system and parental controls for their teen's ChatGPT account. However, it remains unclear how these measures will be implemented with the introduction of erotic conversations on ChatGPT.
Expansion plans
The race to expand user base amid ethical concerns
OpenAI is under pressure to expand its user base, especially with 800 million weekly active users already on board. The company is in a race against Google and Meta to create widely adopted AI-powered consumer products. Altman's announcement about allowing erotic chats on ChatGPT could be part of this strategy, despite the ethical concerns it raises over vulnerable users.