OpenAI’s upcoming “adult mode” will allow users to engage in lewd conversations with ChatGPT, but not use the chatbot to generate explicit images, audio or video. In response to reports from The Wall Street Journal, an OpenAI spokesperson called the next version capable of producing smut rather than pornography.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was the first to float the idea of allowing people to use ChatGPT for erotic purposes. last Octobersaying the company wanted to “treat adult users like adults.” OpenAI initially planned to launch adult mode in early 2026. Since then, the company has pushed back the feature several times, the most recent being delay coming early March so that OpenAI can “focus on higher priority work for a larger number of users.”
Through The Journal report, we learn that OpenAI has moved forward with work on adult mode despite reservations from its advice on well-being and AI. The group of eight researchers and experts were reportedly unanimous in warning that the company’s AI-generated erotica could lead people to develop an unhealthy emotional dependence on ChatGPT, and that underage users would almost certainly find ways to access the feature. According to The Reviewa member of the council, citing cases where people committed suicide after becoming attached to ChatGPT, said the company risked creating a “sexy suicide coach.”
These concerns appear to be well-founded. At some point, the company age verification the technology misidentified underage users as adults about 12% of the time, according to The Review. At the scale of OpenAI, with approximately 100 million teenagers using ChatGPT each week, this error rate would have translated into millions of minors accessing erotic chats. OpenAI said The Review its prediction algorithm performs to industry standards, and no such system will ever be completely foolproof.
This article was originally published on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-adult-mode-reportedly-wont-generate-pornographic-audio-images-or-video-150744035.html?src=rss
