“Erotica” is coming to ChatGPT this year, says Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI

Adult users of ChatGPT will soon have access to a less-censored version of the AI ​​chatbot, which will include provocative material, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced, in an apparent shift in policy.

“In December, as we fully roll out age recognition as part of our ‘Treat adult users like adults’ principle, we will allow more, such as verified adult erotica,” Altman said in a social media post. mail Tuesday.

Although it is still unclear what content will be classified as permissible sexual content, the move could represent a major shift in policy for OpenAI, which previously prohibited such content in most contexts.

According to Altman, current versions of ChatGPT have become “too restrictive” to protect users from mental health risks, but this approach has made the chatbot “less useful (and enjoyable for many users who don’t have mental health issues).

“Now that we can mitigate serious mental health issues and have new tools, we will be able to safely ease restrictions in most cases,” he said.

The “new tools” appear to refer to security features and parental controls rolled out last month to address concerns about how the chatbot could affect the mental health of young users.

However, with the expansion of safeguards for minors, Altman appears ready for ChatGPT to take a more flexible approach to adults.

Along with the December rollout, Altman also said that a new version of ChatGPT will be launched in the coming weeks, allowing the chatbot to adopt more distinct personalities – building on updates in the latest version of GPT‑4o.

“If you want ChatGPT to respond in a very human-like way, use a large number of emojis, or act like a friend, ChatGPT should do that,” he said. “But only if you want to.“

In August interviewfreelance tech journalist Cleo Abram asked Altman to give an example of a decision he made that was best for the world, but not for winning the AI ​​race.

“Well, we haven’t put a sex bot avatar in ChatGPT yet,” Altman said in an apparent nod Provocative AI comrades Released by Elon Musk’s XAI.

Altman’s comments come as OpenAI faces greater scrutiny of its safety policies. In September, the Federal Trade Commission launched an investigation into several technology companies, including OpenAI, over potential risks to children and teens.

This followed a lawsuit filed by a California couple who claimed ChatGPT contributed to their 16-year-old son’s suicide.

On Tuesday, OpenAI also announced the formation of an eight-member expert council on well-being and AI to advise the company on how AI can impact users’ mental health, emotions and motivations.

The board will guide OpenAI in defining what healthy AI interactions look like through frequent check-ins and meetings, the company said.