OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced a new set of user policies that will significantly change how its flagship product, ChatGPT, interacts with users under the age of 18. The company stated it will now “prioritize safety ahead of privacy and freedom for teens,” introducing new content restrictions and parental controls to protect minors using the powerful AI technology.
New Guardrails on Sensitive Topics
Under the updated policy, ChatGPT will be trained to stop engaging in “flirtatious talk” with users identified as underage. Furthermore, if a minor’s conversation suggests potential self-harm or suicidal ideation, the service is being designed to attempt contact with their parents or, in severe cases, local law enforcement. The new features also empower parents by allowing them to set “blackout hours” during which the service will be inaccessible to their children.
Context of Increased Scrutiny
These changes come amid growing pressure on AI companies regarding user safety. The announcement coincided with a US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the potential harms of AI chatbots. OpenAI is also currently facing a wrongful death lawsuit from the parents of a teenager who died by suicide after months of interactions with ChatGPT, highlighting the real-world risks associated with human-AI conversations.
Relevance for the MENA Region
OpenAI’s new safety measures set a significant precedent for the rapidly growing tech landscape in the Middle East and North Africa. With one of the world’s youngest demographics, the issue of protecting minors on AI platforms is highly pertinent for parents, educators, and policymakers across the region. As governments and companies in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and beyond develop their own large language models, these policies will likely influence the ethical guardrails and safety standards embedded in local AI products. Regional policymakers formulating AI governance frameworks will also be observing these developments as a potential model for regulation.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an artificial intelligence research and deployment company based in San Francisco. Its mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. It is the creator of widely used AI models, including the GPT series of large language models and the image generator DALL-E.
Source: TechCrunch
