ChatGPT has shown sycophantic behavior which is called ‘glazing’. It has the potential to cause mental distress later. OpenAI keeps updating ChatGPT so as to make it more empathetic. Though some people prefer a friendly chatbot, others question the dependence it causes among the users. It is not just a reaction of moral panic. It can lead to darker territory involving harm.
In competition, GPT-4o was released in May 2024 to preempt Gemini’s launch. This compresses the safety concerns. OpenAI has declared that ChatGPT’s mental health risks have been mitigated. It can relax restrictions so as to enable adult users to access erotica by year end. Perhaps, this is a backhand step. Instead, there should be tighter controls. These should be relaxed slowly when safety improves.
Children are the most vulnerable group. They should not be allowed to have a free conversation to open-ended AI. The bots can develop emotional bonds with the users. Character.ai banned under 18s from tilting to chatbots on its app. Facebook and Tik-Tok had open-ended access for teens but later introduced age-gating. It prevents unhealthy attachments to the technology. A narrow version of ChatGPT can be offered for under-18s. The loss of subjects could be restricted — topics for discussion could be restricted. OpenAI has recently introduced parental control. Kids should not become collateral damage on the path of AI heading to the development of AGI.
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